Blinded
by Serenity Goddess
Summary: [COMPLETED ... ALL 28 CHAPTERS. R&R] When a powerful new vampire possesses Xander's body, Buffy must enter his mind in other to save her friend. (B/X) Important Note: This was written around Season 4, so all the events in Season 5 and 6 are not addressed.
1. One

Title: Blinded (1/?)  
  
Feedback: Will pay for feedback.  
Disclaimer: No suing allowed, because Joss/FOX/whoever owns Buffy and   
friends. I'm just borrowing them for the time being. No money is being made   
here. Now, money being *lost* is whole different matter, but let's not get   
into that because it's totally unrelated.  
Note: This is far in the future.  
  
  
ONE  
  
His lawyer dropped of the divorce papers in a large, yellow manila envelope.   
Buffy didn't want to touch it anymore than she had to, so she placed it on   
the coffee table and left it there. Her signature would end their one and a   
half years marriage.  
  
Some people predicted that their marriage wouldn't last long anyway, and   
Buffy winced as she realised how right they were. She was only twenty-four   
when she married him - it seemed ages ago. Perhaps they were both young and   
foolish; too blinded by 'love' to look further down the road at their future   
together.  
  
She looked at the manila envelope and wondered if she still loved him after   
all they've been through. And then she wondered if she ever loved him in the   
first place.  
  
She sighed and placed her mug next to the envelope. It was eleven a.m., but   
all she wanted to do was to crawl back into bed and die. The Chosen One, the   
divorced Slayer. That would look good on her business card, if she ever got   
one. I slay marriages as well as vampires, she thought and then laughed at   
her pitiful state.  
  
She remembered when she sensed that it was not going to work out between   
them. There had been a time when all they did was argue and fight. When they   
weren't doing that, they weren't even talking to each other, fuming over the   
other's past mistakes. Towards the last month, they were constantly yelling   
at each other, and he finally moved out.  
  
He told her he was living in an apartment with a friend of his, and by   
'friend' he meant a young, sexy brunette named Tammy. Buffy met her once,   
and she remembered not liking her mascara.  
  
A week ago she had bumped into him and Tammy at the nearby supermarket. She   
never knew she could regret grocery shopping so much. They briefly nodded as   
they passed each other in the aisle, but that was basically all they did.   
One and a half years of marriage and now all they do is nod when they see   
each other.  
  
Buffy drank the last of her coffee and carelessly placed the mug in the   
sink. She didn't feel like washing it just then. She walked back to the   
living room and noted the yellow envelope again. The pale color of the   
envelope sickened her, and she shared the same feeling for its contents as   
well. She tossed it one more sideways glanced and climbed upstairs to her   
bedroom.  
  
She looked at the full length mirror by the side of her room. Her reflection   
stared moodily back at her and she frowned some more. She put her hand on   
her hip and analyzed her reflection pessimistically. She could swear there   
were bags under her eyes, and the beginning signs of a wrinkle forming on   
her forehead. The slayer ran her hands through her blonde hair and turned to   
her bed. At the moment, her bed looked like the only comforting thing in the   
world to her.  
  
She crawled under the covers and put her head gently on the pillow with a   
whispered sigh. She went to sleep, with the foolish hope that when she woke   
up, there wouldn't be a yellow envelope on her coffee table downstairs, and   
that her marriage would be as perfect as it seemed to be when they first   
started out. Her eyes welled with tears as she recounted the good days; the   
days when they weren't fighting , the days where they got along. As these   
bittersweet thoughts filled her mind, she slowly drifted off to sleep.  
  
The telephone rang.  
  
Buffy groggily sat up , her hands searching out for the offending phone. Her   
hand grasped the plastic receiver and she brought it to her ear with her   
grumpy 'Hello'.  
  
"'Ello, sunshine." The cheery voice on the other end contrasted greatly with   
Buffy's.  
  
"Go away, Xander," Buffy grumbled, although she was secretly glad Xander   
called. She needed somebody to talk to, and Xander seemed like a perfect   
candidate.  
  
"Your words are like ice daggers striking my vulnerable heart. What's   
eating my favourite Slayer?"  
  
"Riley's lawyer just delivered the divorce papers," Buffy explained, as she   
used her free hand to rub her eyes. She shook her head and continued. "I'm   
pretty much Miss Sucky Life right now."  
  
Xander's voice softened as he replied. "Oh."  
  
"I expected something more comforting than that."  
  
"There's not much I can do over the phone. You should see me work wonders in   
person," he said. "Wait right there, I'm coming over."  
  
"No, you don't really have to…" Buffy protested weakly; actually, she   
wouldn't mind having Xander around. It would be nice to have someone to talk   
to, besides her lawyer or a marriage counselor.  
  
"Oh, come no. You know you want me to," Xander quickly answered, as if he   
were expecting her to say something like that. "So why don't you slip into   
something revealing and wait for me?"  
  
Buffy laughed. It was the first time she did in quite a while. "All right."  
  
"Good. I'll see you soon." He hung up.  
  
She placed the receiver back on the handle and walked downstairs. She sat on   
the couch and waited patiently for him, staring at the second hand of the   
clock to pass the time.  
  
It took him nearly an hour to arrive.  
  
Which was pretty odd, considering he lived only four blocks away, and owned   
a car. She heard the car door slam and footsteps leading up to her door. Her   
doorbell was broken, and he knew that. Three solid knocks sounded and Buffy   
got up. As she walked towards the door, the knocking multiplied into a   
mini-door-knocking concert. She swung the door open.  
  
Xander stood there with a bouquet of flowers tucked under one arm, holding a   
gigantic stuffed pig. Upon seeing Buffy, he bent down and scooped up a box   
which he had placed on the ground earlier on. He gave her a lopsided grin.   
"Sorry it took me so long, but I didn't know what would cheer you up, and I   
didn't want to take chances so I bought the entire gift store. They gave me   
a 'Preferred Customer' card too."  
  
Buffy smiled at him. "Hi, Xander." She stepped aside and allowed him in, and   
closed the door behind him. He turned around and thrust the gifts at her,   
biting his lower lip in a mischievous boyish fashion.  
  
She smiled again as she took the gifts and placed them on the nearby table.   
"You're a sweetheart, you know." She leaned forward and gave him a small   
peck on the cheek.  
  
"I know," He looked down, blushing madly. After all these years, he still   
went crazy whenever she showed him even the slightest sign of affection. He   
turned away from her, hoping that she didn't see his flushed face. She   
didn't. "That's what everybody tells me."  
  
"That's because it's true," she said in a sing-song voice, turning around.   
She paused for a while, and her tone turned serious as she looked at him.   
"Thank you."  
  
"No problem," said Xander, waving his hand. He motioned his finger at her   
apparel. "That's not what I would call revealing. I must say I'm   
disappointed. I expected something a little more flashy, a little more sexy,   
a little more va-va-voom."  
  
Buffy looked down at her old T-shirt and black sweats. "This is about as   
va-va-voom as I get at the time being. Sorry." She looked back up at him.   
"So, what do you want to do now?"  
  
They spent the next five hours curled up in Buffy's bed watching television   
and talking, each trying to outdo the other in the Most Pathetic Life   
category. At the moment, they were watching a less than satisfactory movie   
on Hallmark. Buffy rested her head on his chest gently and he wrapped his   
arm around her in a warm 'nothing-more-than-friends' manner.  
  
As the credits rolled, Buffy tilted her head slightly to look at him. "I   
guess this movie proves one thing I've known all along. All men suck."  
  
"Hey!"  
"Present company excluded."  
  
"Thank you," he said as he gave her another one of his playful grins.   
"That's because I'm the only one who loves you , you know that."  
  
"I know that very much," Buffy answered. She lifted herself up slightly and   
gave him another kiss on the cheek before placing her head back on his   
chest. "How is it that you never married?"  
  
"All the women I asked said 'no'."  
  
"Don't be absurd. As far as I remember, you never even asked anybody."  
  
"True, true, but then I've never felt that way about someone before," he   
lied. Here was the woman of his dreams, lying beside him. He resisted the   
urge to brush a stray strand of her hair from her face.  
  
"I'm sure you'll find her someday," she said reassuringly. "Unless of   
course, you think you've found her , and you're lured into a false sense of   
commitment and longing and dependence and before you know it you're trapped   
in a loveless marriage where the only way out is to kill yourself or your   
spouse."  
  
"Thanks for the optimistic perspective."  
  
"It's the divorce papers talking, not me." She sighed again. She didn't feel   
great, but she felt a thousand times better than this morning. She never   
knew Xander could be so … comforting. She glanced sideways and looked at the   
radio clock sitting at her bedside. "Did you know it's nearly six?"  
  
He looked at the clock himself, as if he did not believe her. "Wow. I had no   
idea I was here for so long. I'd better scoot. Dinner doesn't make itself."   
He paused and looked at her. "Hey, why don't you come back with me? We could   
have dinner together. I'm making meatloaf. I'm told I make a kickass   
meatloaf."  
  
"Well…"  
  
"Come on. You know I won't take no for an answer."  
  
"… I guess so."  
  
"Great. Let's go."  
  
The car ride was brief, but Buffy enjoyed getting out of her house.   
Everything there seemed to remind her of Riley, and this short outing was a   
refreshing change of scenery. On the way they talked some more, and it   
amazed Buffy how they never ran out of topics.  
  
Xander dug into his pockets and fished out a bunch of keys. He searched   
through the key ring and selected a small, bronze colored key. He fit it   
in the lock and turned it, hearing the affirming 'click' of the door being   
unlocked. He turned the handle and opened the door.  
  
He stepped inside, and came face to face with Spike. 


	2. Two

TWO  
  
"Hi, Spike," Xander muttered nonchalantly as he entered. The vampire merely   
sidestepped to allow passage for Xander. "I hope you didn't mess up my video   
collection again."  
  
"Not this …" The vampire stopped as he noticed Buffy standing behind   
Xander. He gave a mock gasp and pointed at her. "Slayer! Slayer!"  
  
"Stupid! Stupid!" shot back Buffy.  
  
Seeing Spike at Xander's place became a regular occurrence to the members   
of the Scooby Gang. In fact, the vampire had been hanging around the place   
quite frequently for the past few years. Spike denied it like hell, but   
everybody knew that he had grown quite close to Xander despite their   
constant bickering and arguments.  
  
It was also common knowledge that Spike would conveniently show up at   
Xander's just a few minutes before sunrise every day, and then be   
conveniently trapped there until sundown. Of course, Spike's excuse was that   
he was just waiting for the day his chip would stop working so he could rip   
out Xander's throat, hence his constant appearance at Xander's house. After   
the first few years everybody accepted it and didn't bother to question   
Spike's motives anymore. Although every once and again the vampire would   
claim that he wanted to kill every single one of them and feed their limbs   
to wild animals. Most of the time he was ignored.  
  
"Play nice you two," shouted Xander without looking back. He headed   
straight towards the kitchen and continued addressing those two. "This is a   
house of love."  
  
"She started it!" protested Spike, and tossed Buffy a less than friendly   
look. Buffy snorted, folded her arms and looked the other way.  
  
After a few seconds of silence, she decided that it would be more fun to   
rib Spike. "What exactly do you do here every day for the past seven, eight   
years, while waiting for the chance to slit Xander's throat?"  
  
"I wait for Xander to come home from work and then we use his Sony   
Playstation," Spike answered. "Although it's none of your bloody business…   
and I'll let you know that I'm still particularly vicious."  
  
"Right. Thanks for reminding me." Buffy rolled her eyes and then stifled a   
yawn. "And do you bake cookies and feed them to orphaned children?"  
  
Spike growled at her. "I *eat* orphaned children."  
  
"No, you eat gingerbread men and *pretend* their orphaned children. There's   
a difference." Buffy gave him a sweet smile.  
  
"Forget about this bloody chip, I'll bloody shred your bloody body to   
bloody pieces and…"  
  
"And the overused word of the day is…"  
  
"Are you two still at it?" yelled Xander from the kitchen. "Because I'm not   
feeling any vibes of love."  
  
"No, we're fine," yelled back Buffy, "Spike and I were just exchanging   
needlework ideas. He knits one hell of a pillow case, I'll tell you that."  
  
Spike committed murder with his eyes. "Once I get this chip out of my…"  
  
"Oh just give it up, Spike," Buffy said as she fell back on the couch.   
"You've been saying that for years now, and nothing's happened, and come on,   
we both know you actually love being the passive, kind and gentle vampire."  
  
"I do not."  
  
"Why else would you be hanging around here day and night and night and day   
and day and night… for nearly a decade?" Buffy bit her lower lip after she   
spoke. As bad as she was originally feeling, poking fun at Spike somehow   
lifted her spirits. He did have a use after all.  
  
"I told you, I'm waiting for the day the chip stops working and then I'll   
bloody make you all pay."  
  
"Okay." Buffy turned away from him and flipped through the TV Guide lying   
on the couch.  
  
"I'm not lying," persisted Spike, who was getting quite irritated that   
nobody was believing him. "I'm telling you, once this chip…"  
  
"I heard you, Spike. I said 'Okay'. Now be a good vampire and shush,   
because I want to read what's happening on Ally McBeal tomorrow."  
  
"Oh, it's a rerun, the one where Ally goes to…" Spike stopped short. "I   
wouldn't know, because I don't watch the bloody show. I prefer a more   
adrenaline pumping testosterone testing , manly kind of show."  
  
"If you say so," replied Buffy in a higher tone, as if to mock him.  
  
Spike sighed and sat down on the opposite end of the couch. He put his head   
in his hands.  
  
Xander came out of the kitchen with a ridiculously large oven mitt over his   
right hand. "Ah, glad to see that you two are getting along. Dinner's almost   
ready."  
  
Spike's head shot up, and he looked at Xander expectantly. "… did you?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
"With… with … the…" Spike gestured excitedly.  
  
"Yup. Which I have to admit is absolutely disgusting, and it's the last   
time I'm ever going to do something like that. Next time you make your own   
dinner." Xander made a disgusted face and marched back into the kitchen.  
  
Spike looked at Buffy. "He always says that, but he always does it for me   
every single time." He paused. "I .. mean… not that I … stop here for dinner   
… every single day. In fact, this is … I … haven't… never mind."  
Buffy just looked at him and decided that his condition alone was a good   
enough comeback and left him alone. She flipped through the pages aimlessly   
until Xander politely 'requested their attendance at the dining room', as he   
had put it.  
  
"Hmm… meatloaf…" said Buffy as optimistically as she could and sat down at   
the small dining table. Xander took a seat opposite her and Spike   
(reluctantly) had to sit beside her because there was nowhere else to sit.   
Spike sniffed his bowl, which contained some dark red liquid with pieces of   
brown unrecognizable chunks floating about in it.  
  
"Shall we say grace?" asked Xander, just for the sake of asking.  
  
"No," answered Spike, who then continued to dip a finger in his bowl. He   
licked his finger tip and made then smacked his lips loudly. Buffy,   
unaccustomed to having Spike at her dinner table, stared at him with wide   
eyes. Spike merely looked at her and then back to his bowl. "Pig's blood   
with actual pork. Yums."  
  
"I think I'll eat outside," said Buffy as reached out her hand to grab her   
plate and go as far away from Spike and his unusual culinary habits.  
  
Xander stood up. "What's wrong with here?"  
  
"Spike."  
  
Spike looked up and then continued to eat out of his bowl like a glutton.  
  
"Don't worry, you'll get used to it," Xander motioned for her to sit down ,   
and then went back to his seat. "After the first four, five years."  
  
"All right. But if I throw up, I'm blaming you for it." Buffy turned her   
chair slightly away from Spike and then took a bite out of her meatloaf.   
Xander looked at her from across the table and smiled to himself.  
  
Without warning, Buffy stood up and yelled. "Blood! Bloooood!"  
  
"Where? Where?!" asked Spike greedily, looking around eagerly.  
  
"On my sleeve! You splashed blood on my sleeve!" Buffy waved her hands and   
pointed it to one of her sleeves. "You spilled pig's blood on my sleeve! I   
am so not sitting next to you."  
  
Buffy grabbed her plate with one hand and with her free hand dragged her   
chair across the table beside Xander. There wasn't much place there so he   
had to shift towards the end of the table. Buffy sat down at her new place   
with satisfaction and then proceeded to try to get the blood stain out of   
her sleeve.  
  
"It's only a bloody T-shirt," Spike muttered, "No pun intended." He then   
proceeded to laugh like a mad man and then dug into the rest of his meal.   
Buffy stared at him and wondered how her fork would look like protruding   
from his chest.  
  
"You two are behaving like a couple of school children," Xander commented.   
"It's a sad day when you have to admit that I'm the most mature person   
here."  
  
"I don't even know why you let him come here all the time," grumbled Buffy   
as she shifted her attention from her sleeve to Xander and then to her meal.   
"You let him in once, and he's all over the place."  
  
"Hey, I'm not the one with the whole 'Ooh, I'm the Cutesy Vampire Slayer   
With Blonde Hair and Dark Roots' thing going on here," said Spike in a   
high-pitch falsetto tone.  
  
"Oh, listen to the natural blonde talking," Buffy said, putting down her   
fork. "I think the last person who should be talking about dark roots is   
you. I've seen ducks with better toning."  
  
Spike's mouth opened wide in shock. He narrowed his eyes to slits and waved   
a finger at Buffy's chest. "And I suppose you expect us to believe that   
those are real?"  
  
"I frankly don't care if they're real, but I'm enjoying the view   
nevertheless," added Xander, whose eyes stared fixedly at Buffy's chest   
region. His eyes met Buffy's and gave a nervous laugh before turning away,   
slightly blushing.  
  
"Hah, wuss," said Spike, twirling his spoon in the air.  
  
"Hey, I wasn't the one who cried at the ending of Casablanca!" Xander shot   
back.  
  
"I did not!"  
  
"Oh, my God," said Buffy, her mouth widening into a smile. She grinned at   
Spike. "You cried at Casablanca?"  
  
"There was dust…"  
  
Xander turned and looked at Buffy excitedly. "Yeah, you should have seen   
him. 'Here's looking at you kid', and he was bawling like a six year old   
girl who broke her Barbie."  
  
Buffy giggled. Spike slammed his spoon down on the table. "I'm glad that I   
amuse the both of you."  
  
"Is he going to cry?" asked Buffy, looking at Spike and then at Xander.  
  
"No," said Spike firmly, "I'm just going to finish my meal and then   
secretly plot how to separate your heads from your bodies in the most   
painful fashion known to mankind." He looked down at his bowl and continued   
eating.  
  
Buffy and Xander looked at each other and laughed.  
  
* * *  
  
"Thanks for everything, Xand," said Buffy as she stood on the doorstep of   
his house. "I had a really fun time. Even with Spike."  
  
"Sure, no problem. The word fun is synonymous with my name."  
  
Buffy looked over his shoulder and into the living room, where she saw   
Spike sitting on the couch, staring at her with vengeance burning in his   
eyes. She laughed. "Looks like Spike's still angry at me."  
  
"He'll get over it after he watches 'Friends'. Nothing cheers him up faster   
than Jennifer Anniston in a mini skirt."  
  
She laughed again. Xander always seemed to make her laugh. "All right. I'll   
be heading back now." She turned to go.  
  
He called out to her. "Are you sure you don't want a lift?"  
  
Buffy heard Spike mumbling inside about 'letting her rot on the streets',   
and she turned around again. "No thanks. I'm thinking of doing the whole   
patrol thing as well, you know, like the whole killing two birds with one   
stone thing."  
"Do you want me to come along? Because I could come along." Xander offered.   
"We could even bring Spike!"  
  
Spike cursed and spat inside the living room. Xander shrugged his   
shoulders. "I guess , not with Spike."  
  
Buffy patted his shoulder lightly. "You don't have to. You've wasted enough   
time with me today already. I don't want you being deprived of sleep as   
well."  
  
"First off, time with you is never wasted," Xander said, "And secondly,   
being deprived of sleep is sometimes considered a good thing, especially if   
you're doing other *vigorous* activities."  
  
Buffy gave him a look. "Yeah. Anyway, I wouldn't want to leave Spike alone   
there for the time being, seeing that he's planning our forthcoming   
decapitation."  
  
"Maybe you're right," said Xander, turning his head back slightly to check   
on Spike. "Some other time, maybe. I'll see you tomorrow."  
  
"Okay. 'Night." She gave him another kiss on the cheek and headed out to   
the streets.  
  
Xander sighed and watched her go.  
  
* * *  
  
Buffy strolled the quiet streets slowly. A street-lamp flickered slowly as   
she passed beneath it. The streets were dimly lit, but she could see the   
surrounding area quite clearly. She took a left turn and passed by the park.  
  
As she took a step forward, she heard the familiar sound of a fight going   
on. She quickened her footsteps from a slow walk to a quick run , heading   
towards the sound. She ran past the fence surrounding the park, glancing   
occasionally into the park to see what was going on.  
  
She spotted what seemed to be a group of three men (vampires, perhaps)   
attacking another tall, dark-haired man. She grabbed hold of the metal fence   
and hitched herself up. Planting her feet vertically on the side of the   
fence, she began to climb the fence, reaching the top and jumping down   
without hesitation.  
  
She landed on her feet and rushed to the scene.  
  
-- end of this part -- 


	3. Three

THREE  
  
As she neared the scene, she began to realise that her help probably   
wasn't needed at all. She stopped short and watched with fascination as the tall,  
dark-haired man fought his opponents. She could see more clearly now that   
they were indeed vampires, but the other man seemed to have no problem taking   
care of them.  
  
He dodged a blow and swept his fist upwards, striking the jaw of one   
vampire  
and sending it flying. Without so much as a split-second delay, he spun   
around  
and delivered a roundhouse to the other vampire approaching behind him. His   
heel  
connected with the vampire, and it tumbled to the ground. The third vampire  
charged him and they both toppled over, struggling in the dirt.  
  
Buffy decided that just standing by and watching was not the   
appropriate thing  
to do, and she rushed to help. She pulled the vampire off the man and threw   
it  
into the first vampire who was just getting up. She reached into her pockets   
and  
realised that she was stupid enough to forget her stake. Her eyes darted   
around  
and focused on a small, broken branch. In a quick dive, she plunged to the  
ground and grabbed the branch, rolling over and standing up again. She   
wielded  
the branch and tested its weight.  
  
The second vampire sped towards her and she sidestepped, avoiding   
his attack.  
She spun around and shoved the branch into his back, and watched with  
satisfaction as he exploded into dust. She brushed the dust off her clothes   
and  
turned around, only to see the other man dispatch his opponents in a similar  
fashion, only he was using what seemed to be a well polished sword.  
  
The man turned to her and grinned. He sheathed his sword and walked   
up to her.  
"Thanks."  
  
Buffy muttered a 'yeah', because she couldn't think of anything else   
to say.  
She was able to see his face more clearly. He wasn't clean shaven, Buffy   
could  
make out a five o'clock shadow. He had small, dark eyes, and a slightly   
crooked  
nose. His hair was as black as night, but here and there she spotted a few  
graying strands. He couldn't be more than thirty-five, thought Buffy.  
  
He extended a gloved hand towards her. "I'm Jared." His voice was   
deep and  
rough. Almost sexy.  
  
"Buffy," she said and shook his hand. She paused for a moment.. This   
was  
awkward.  
  
"I figure you're no stranger to vampires, eh?" He said, with a small   
laugh. He  
put his hand on his hip.  
  
Duh, thought Buffy. "No." She looked at him again, as if it would   
help her  
figure out just who on earth would walk through parks at night, wield   
swords  
and kill vampires. Besides her, of course. "Just who are you, exactly?"  
  
"I told you. I'm Jared."  
  
"I didn't mean your name."  
  
"Ah," he gave her a smile. "That is a whole other story, isn't it.   
Perhaps you  
wouldn't mind telling me how a pretty young thing like yourself managed to   
beat  
up vampires like that?"  
"I asked you first."  
  
"Yes, I believe you did." He paused, and put a finger on his chin.   
"To cut a  
long story short, it's my job."  
  
Buffy's eyes widened in disbelief. And all along she thought she was   
the only  
one who had to do all the dirty work. "Believe or not, it's my job too."  
  
"Really?" Jared began to walk slowly ahead. Buffy started after him.   
"So, how  
much do you get paid then?"  
  
"Excuse me?" Buffy cocked her head in confusion.  
  
"Paid. You know, they give you these little green notes, with faces   
on them,  
and the numbers at the side tell you how much they're worth. It's way more  
kickass than the barter system, I'll tell you that."  
  
"I know what it means," Buffy replied indignantly, "I just don't   
understand  
what *you* mean."  
  
Jared stopped walking and turned to face her. "Are you telling me   
you do what  
you do for free?"  
  
"Are you telling me you do what I do … and get paid?"  
  
"In not so many words, yeah."  
  
"How much?"  
  
Jared told her.  
  
Buffy covered her mouth. "Why was I not informed of this sooner? I   
could be  
rich."  
  
"It's not that much," said Jared, putting his hands behind his back   
as he  
started to walk again. "It's enough to get me by, and that's about it."  
  
"Not that much?" echoed Buffy. "With that kind of money I could be   
bathing in  
milk and sleeping between silk sheets and still have some money left over   
for my  
fancy new sports car."  
  
Jared laughed. "Believe me, it's not that much. It seems like it,   
but money  
runs out pretty fast nowadays." He stopped as a thought struck him. "Why  
*exactly* do you do this for free?"  
  
"No one told me I could get paid," Buffy explained as a   
matter-of-factly,  
"Besides, I always looked at it as a responsibility, not a job."  
  
"A job is a responsibility."  
  
"Yes, but it's different. I think."  
  
"So your responsibility is to slay vampires," said Jared   
thoughtfully,  
"Interesting. I don't think I've met anyone like you before."  
  
"Believe me, there aren't that many like me," Buffy said with a   
wicked smile,  
"In fact, there's only one in every generation. Or at least that's what they  
tell me. But I'm beginning to doubt that." She recalled Kendra, and Faith.  
  
"You're a strange girl, you know."  
  
"Yeah. But sometimes people refer to me as weirdly unique… if   
they're not  
screaming and running in terror, that is." She put her hand on her hip. "You  
seem to be taking this whole thing rather lightly. Normally , I would expect  
fainting or 'You got to be kidding'."  
  
"You get used to the weirdness when you do what I do," Jared says,   
"Sooner or  
later you begin to accept the strange, as normal."  
  
Buffy nodded in understanding. She looked around. She thought for a   
moment  
about Giles; perhaps the ex-Watcher would be interested in meeting this  
professional vampire killer. There were certain things she would like to ask  
Giles about anyway, like her salary for the past ten years. "I have somebody   
who  
would like to meet you, I think."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes." She nodded once more. "Listen ; I have a friend who lives   
nearby, maybe  
we could go over there and talk some more."  
  
"All right." 


	4. Four

FOUR  
  
*ding-eeee dongggg….crrrkkk*  
  
Buffy winced as she rang the doorbell. She had forgotten that it wasn't   
really working. It had been that way for a few years already. Jared leaned   
against the wall with a look of boredom on his face and walked his fingers   
slowly up the bricks. After a few minutes of silence, Buffy hammered on the   
door repeatedly.  
  
"What the bloody hell?!" grumbled the familiar voice behind the door.   
"Next time you answer your own bloody door." The door swung open and the   
platinum blonde vampire stared out grumpily.  
  
He gave Buffy one look and slammed the door shut.  
  
"Some friend," mumbled Jared, as he shifted his weight impatiently.  
  
"Oh, he's not my friend." Buffy replied curtly. She turned back to the door   
and pounded on it a few more times.  
  
This time she heard slower footsteps coming towards the door. "I thought   
you answered it already!" Xander's voice could be heard clearly through the   
wooden door.  
  
"I did," Buffy heard Spike answer, "It was just some census taker … the   
bloody sods don't know when to quit, do they? Don't answer that."  
  
The door opened for the second time. Xander's faced brightened up when he   
saw Buffy. "Buffy!"  
  
"Hey," said Buffy. Jared stepped out and stood behind Buffy.  
  
"Ooh, and you brought a date," noted Xander unhappily. "Who's that?"  
  
"Jared." Jared stretched out his hand for a shake. Xander reluctantly took   
it. "Xander."  
  
"Could we come in?" Buffy asked. Without waiting for an answer she marched   
inside. Jared shrugged his shoulders and walked past Xander. Xander stared   
blankly out the door for a moment before following the rest. He closed the   
door behind him and entered the living room.  
  
"What the hell is this?" cried Spike, getting up from the couch, "A   
freaking party?"  
  
Buffy ignored him and walked to the phone.  
  
"Why are you here?" continued Spike, shifting his gaze from Buffy to Xander   
to Jared. "Who the bloody hell is that? Why the bloody hell is he here?"  
  
"He's a vampire," said Buffy calmly to Jared.  
  
Jared nodded in understanding. "Cool. You have a pet vampire."  
"I'm not a bloody pet!" Spike stood up and growled. "Don't make me rip out   
your insides and play jump rope with it."  
  
"He's all talk but no action," said Buffy, cradling the phone on her   
shoulder. "He can't really harm you, don't bother. He has this tiny little   
microchip…"  
  
"Oh, give away bloody plot, will you!" Spike grumbled and sank down on the   
couch again. "I was intimidating him nicely and you had to ruin it."  
  
"Um, not that this being my house has anything to do with it," Xander said   
quietly after a while, "But what are you doing here exactly?"  
  
"I'll tell you when Giles gets here," said Buffy as she quickly dialed his   
number on the phone.  
  
"Why does Giles have to come too?" whined Xander.  
  
"Because he has…Giles? Buffy. Listen could you…"  
  
Spike stared at Buffy with hatred in his eyes and then went back to watching   
television.  
  
Jared looked around and decided to sit on the couch next to Spike. The   
vampire growled at him and edged to the other end of the couch. Jared raised   
his eyebrows. "So, is this The Vampire Slayer Headquarters?"  
  
"Would I be here if it were?" shot back Spike. "Moron."  
  
"You have an attitude problem."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
Xander plopped down on the chair beside them and gave a sigh. "Please don't   
tell me you're a vampire slayer."  
  
"Oh, I am," said Jared, "but in a more professional type of way."  
  
"Aren't slayers supposed to be chicks?" said Spike suddenly. Jared and   
Xander looked at him. "Not that I care about this conversation in anyway.   
Carry on. See if I bloody give a damn."  
  
"I prefer the term Vampire Hunter," said Jared, "I actually prefer the   
thrill of the hunt compared to the actual kill."  
  
Spike fidgeted nervously.  
  
Jared looked at him. "Don't worry. I only hunt when paid."  
  
"Who said I was worried?" replied Spike rather unconvincingly.  
  
"Okay." An awkward silence ensued. Jared broke it by asking Spike: "So,   
what's up with the microchip anyway?" Spike growled at him again and went   
back to watching television.  
  
"He's not used to strangers." Xander explained.  
  
Buffy put the phone down and walked up to them. "Giles says he'll be here   
as soon as he can. At the rate he drives, I'm saying somewhere between   
Christmas and New Year's."  
  
"*Now* do you mind telling me what's going on? Why do I have a Vampire   
Hunter in my living room?" asked Xander helplessly. He turned to Jared   
hastily added: "Not that I don't mind your company."  
  
Jared waved his hand and said nothing.  
  
* * *  
  
"Well, that's basically what I know," concluded Buffy as she placed her   
hands on her lap.  
  
Giles nodded and looked over to Jared. "If I have heard correctly, you're a   
professional vampire hunter?" He didn't wait for Jared to answer. "May I   
asked where you learnt your … trade?"  
  
"You know, a bit here a bit there," Jared answered, "I didn't really *learn*   
it, it sort of became a compulsory thing when one tried to bite me. I sort   
of developed the whole 'slay-them' theme over the years. It's good sport."  
  
"Oh, sure, it's good sport to *you*, but do you ever think about how *we*   
feel?" Spike asked emotionally. Everyone stared at him and he slinked back   
into the couch in silence.  
  
"You know Jared, we could actually use another hand in the vampire-slaying   
business," said Buffy. "The extra help would be really useful."  
  
"Sorry," Jared replied, "I only do this for cash. I don't do favors. And   
even if I did, I'm still under contract from my employer."  
  
"Yes…" Giles pondered for a moment. "And just who is your employer?"  
  
"Some guy named Marcus Harrington," Jared said, a few second before covering   
his mouth. "Maybe I shouldn't have said that."  
  
"Why ever not?" asked Giles.  
  
"I dunno. Some of the big guys don't like to hear their names being   
dropped."  
  
"Do *you* know a Marcus Harrington?" Buffy asked Giles.  
  
Giles shook his head. "No. I'm afraid not." He paused. "What I would like to   
know is why this Mr. Harrington is interested in paying good money to hire   
someone to dispatch some vampires. Doesn't he know we already have a   
Slayer?"  
  
Xander raised his hand. "Do we really have to care? As long as he's hiring   
Jared here , we have less work to do. Let's just leave it at that and go on   
our own merry little ways."  
  
"Aye!" cried Spike.  
  
Giles (as usual) ignored Spike and resumed questioning Jared. "Did he tell   
you his intentions?"  
  
"No," Jared answered, "He really doesn't discuss these things with me. I   
just do the work and get the cash. That way we're both happy."  
  
"Would it be possible for us to meet this Marcus Harrington?" asked Giles   
hopefully.  
  
"Speak for yourself," said Spike, "I don't want to go."  
  
"I wasn't referring to you anyway, so sit down and shut up," Giles said   
sternly. Spike snarled at him. "Oh for heaven's sake that growling thing   
isn't scaring anybody. Be quiet."  
Jared gave a look of amusement before answering Giles. "I'm not too sure   
about that… he may not like the fact that I've been telling every Tom , Dick   
and Harry about his operations."  
  
"Well, could you ask?" Giles took off his glasses and cleaned them. "I   
would really like to meet this man."  
  
"I'll try, but no promises," Jared said.  
  
"And while we're on this subject," interjected Buffy suddenly, "Let's   
discuss the topic of Why I Do Not Get Paid."  
  
"Excuse me?" Giles asked.  
  
"I said, 'Let's discuss the topic of Why I Do Not Get Paid'!"  
  
"Yes, I heard you the first time," Giles said, "But I'm not quite sure I   
understand."  
  
"You get paid for being a Watcher, and I don't see why I don't get paid for   
risking my life day in day out," said Buffy, "After all, I do believe that I   
do more work than you anyway."  
  
"A Watcher's job is extremely difficult; it requires a lot of skill,   
patience…"  
  
"Blah, blah, blah…" Buffy rolled her eyes. "Let's talk cash."  
  
"Being a Vampire Slayer is not a job, it's not an occupation, and it's not a   
profession. You don't have specific work hours, and you can't quit whenever   
you feel like it. It's a responsibility, and one that you were born to   
uphold."  
  
"Some people have responsibilities and still get paid," said Buffy quietly.  
  
"Well … if … you insist, I could give you an allowance."  
  
"What am I, in grade school?" Buffy asked incredulously. "You know, never   
mind. I just asked for the fun of it. If no vampire slayer got paid for the   
past hundreds of years, fat chance of me getting paid now."  
  
"You know, this is fun and all," Jared got up, "But I kind of have to get   
back to work. Vampires don't slay themselves."  
  
"Spike tried to, once, though," added Xander.  
  
"Why don't you just broadcast the story of my life on national television?"   
Spike grumbled in frustration.  
  
Jared smiled inwardly and walked towards the door. "I'll show myself out."   
He did.  
  
They all waited for the sound of the door closing.  
  
"Do you think he's single?" asked Buffy after a while. Everyone stared at   
her. "Just joking."  
  
"I didn't like him," announced Spike. "Arrogant bastard."  
  
"Spike!" said Buffy in shock.  
  
"What, you expected me to sprinkle flowers all over the place and sing 'I Am   
Getting To Know You'? Sod off."  
Buffy looked annoyed but didn't say anything.  
  
"If it matters, I really didn't like him either," said Xander, out of   
nothing but pure jealousy. "He bugs me."  
  
"I found him quite interesting, as a matter of fact," said Giles, "Besides,   
he could prove as a useful ally in times to come."  
  
"For the right price," said Xander, " 'I don't do favors'. What kind of   
person is that anyway?"  
  
"Yeah, I say, screw him and let's watch the tele," joined in Spike and   
began flipping channels. "Ooh! Animal Planet."  
  
"Jared does not seem to be popular among them , heh?" Buffy whispered to   
Giles.  
  
"Ah, perhaps they need some time getting used to him. I'm not too sure about   
Spike, but I suppose Xander will warm up to him eventually. He'll have to if   
we intend to keep in contact with Jared."  
  
"Who do you think this Marcus guy is , anyway?"  
  
"I'm not sure, but I'm hoping that his motives aren't of the diabolical   
type. I wouldn't be too hopeful, though, there are many enemies of the   
vampire colony that aren't exactly model characters themselves."  
  
"Well, he'd better not cause any trouble," said Buffy, "My life is as bad as   
it is already."  
  
-- end of this part -- 


	5. Five

FIVE   
  
"Where exactly are we going?" asked Xander, his arm being tugged by a   
relentless Buffy.  
  
"If you keep asking questions, we won't get there on time," the blonde   
replied, tightening her grip on him and dragging him across the street.  
  
"Firstly… OW!" Xander stopped walking, pulled his arm away and massaged it   
gently. "Second, I believe human beings are capable of talking and walking   
at the same time."  
  
Buffy tapped her feet impatiently and looked at her watch. "Yes, but we are   
only doing one of those things right now, and I really would like to get   
there on time. You know how Willow gets when we're late. She starts whining,   
and then she blames herself , and then she starts whining again, and the   
vicious cycle repeats."  
  
"We'll get started once I regain feeling in my left arm," said Xander.   
Buffy gave him a look and grabbed his right arm and dragged him down the   
sidewalk.  
  
"Considering the fact that I'm probably going to be a cripple, you could at   
least answer the question I have posed a thousand times over. Where are we   
going?"  
  
"Willow said it's a new restaurant somewhere around here," Buffy said,   
taking small quick steps. Xander tried to keep up with her (despite being   
pulled and tugged by the arm).  
  
"Why can't we eat at Chuck's? We always eat at Chuck's."  
  
"Willow wanted to experiment."  
  
"Is it me or is that girl always experi… OW! Stop that!" Xander howled and   
pulled his arm away again. "From now on , *nobody* touches my arms. Both of   
them."  
  
"All right. Just walk faster." Buffy quickened her pace some more.  
  
"Fine." Xander ran and caught up with her. "I still think we ought to have   
gone to Chuck's."  
  
"Willow said this new place had the cutest waitresses."  
  
"… but then again, who am I to criticize something I've never tried?"  
  
Buffy laughed. She pointed to a building across the street. "That looks   
like it." She headed towards it, Xander trailing behind her. "I wonder what   
she'll think of Jared."  
  
"That he's a pseudo-macho egotistical jerk?" suggested Xander innocently.  
  
"What's wrong with you?" asked Buffy as she crossed the street. "You've   
known him for like ten minutes and already you're so judgmental."  
  
"I'm not being judgmental," protested Xander. "Something about that guy   
just rubs me the wrong way. I happen to be a good judge of character, you   
know."  
  
"This from the guy who went out with an Egyptian Mummy."  
  
"Well, Spike didn't like him either," said Xander, "And we both can't be   
wrong."  
  
"Spike doesn't like anybody," replied Buffy, "Except Charles Manson."  
  
She walked up to the restaurant and entered, followed by Xander. She   
scanned the room for her best friend, but couldn't find her. The place was   
packed, so it wasn't an easy task.  
  
"Buffy!"  
  
The slayer turned around. It was Riley. And Tammy. God, this was awkward, a   
voice inside her head told her. A week ago Riley just nodded at her in the   
supermarket, and now he's all chummy in a restaurant. Perfect.  
  
"Riley … hi," Buffy struggled to get the words out.  
  
"Oh, Xander. Hey." Riley's tone was less than warm as he acknowledged   
Xander.  
  
"Hi." Icy.  
  
"Oooh, this is like a cool reunion, isn't it!" Tammy said, clapping her   
hands, totally oblivious to the sub-zero temperature in the room.  
  
"Yeah, except that it's with my estranged husband and his mistress.   
Whoop-dee-doo," Buffy said, with a slight sting in her tone. She whirled her   
finger in the air for a few seconds. Tammy closed her mouth and didn't say   
anything.  
  
"And you're here with Xander," Riley noted intelligently. "At a restaurant."  
  
"Oh, well, yeah," says Buffy and masked a smile. "Can't be celebrating my   
divorce twenty-four seven. A girl's gotta eat."  
  
"Among other things," spewed Riley sarcastically, the tone of his voice   
turning sharper as each word slipped from his lips.  
  
"Don't you talk to her like that!" exclaimed Xander, suddenly pushing past   
Buffy and standing face-to-face with Riley.  
  
"I don't believe I asked you to enter this conversation," Riley proceeded   
calmly. "If I did , I would have set the IQ prerequisite to single-digits."  
  
"You know what you are? You're a jerk." Xander turned around and looked at   
Buffy. "Let's find Willow."  
  
As he turned, Riley grabbed Xander's shoulder and forcefully turned him   
around again. "What did you call me?"  
  
Xander's eyes narrowed and he arched his eyebrows as menacingly as he   
could. "You heard me. I said you were a jerk. Jerk. Schmuck. Jerk."  
  
"You better not have said what I thought I heard you say." Riley grabbed   
Xander's collar and pulled Xander towards him.  
  
"I think I was pretty clear. Do I need to spell it out for you? J - E - R   
…"  
  
* * *  
  
"OUCH!"  
  
"Sorry," Buffy apologized. She removed the ice from his forehead and dabbed   
it over another cut below his left eye. They were back at Xander's place. He   
was lying on the couch and whining as much as he could about his battle   
injuries. Buffy had taken it upon herself to play the rather bad nursemaid.   
"Sit still and stop fidgeting."  
  
"You shouldn't have pressed it so hard!"  
  
"All right," Buffy examined the cut and reached over to the first-aid kit   
beside her. Taking out a small plaster, she taped it across his cheek   
gently. "You're blue and black all over."  
  
"Well, you should have seen the other guy."  
  
"I *have* seen the other guy. I was there. In fact, I kicked his ass all   
the way to Tokyo." Buffy said, leaning back on the couch. "It was pretty   
childish of you to get into a fight. Sweet, but childish."  
  
"Yeah, yeah, I know," Xander closed his eyes. "I'm a sweetheart. I just do   
the sweetest things."  
  
Willow came out from the kitchen with more ice. "Well, that's that. Banned   
from a restaurant. I've never been banned before. I think find it rather   
exhilarating. Embarrassing, but exhilarating."  
  
"Sorry about that, Will," Buffy said. "I know how you wanted to try it out   
and everything."  
  
"Yeah," said Xander, putting his head on Buffy's lap. "Next time a new   
restaurant opens, I promise I won't get us banned."  
  
"Nah, it's okay. I think watching Riley get mopped just makes up for the   
whole thing," said Willow. She paused for a moment and then smiled at Buffy.   
"So, who is this Jared person you were telling me over the phone the other   
day? He sounds pretty…"  
  
"Sucky?" offered Xander.  
  
"… interesting," finished Willow.  
  
"If you mean interesting in a sucky kind of way, yeah, you're dead on,"   
replied Xander. Buffy softly pushed his head in disapproval. "Ow! Don't hurt   
the injured!"  
  
"Well, if you ask me, somebody sounds very jealous," said Willow   
innocently, and went off to the kitchen to get something else.  
  
"Jealous? Me? Hah!" Xander tossed aside Willow's accusation. "What's there   
to be jealous of? Sure, he's all muscular , and cool-looking with that 'Oh,   
I *hunt* vampires' motto going on, right, but anybody can do that."  
  
"All right, Xander," said Buffy.  
  
"Is it the slightest bit possible that you people shut up? Some vampires   
are actually trying to…" Spike came into the living room throwing his usual   
tantrum . He stopped short when he saw Xander. "What the bloody hell   
happened to you, mate? Not that I give a hoot whether you die or not."  
  
"He got into a fight with Riley," explained Buffy, patting Xander's head,   
"But don't worry, I whooped his ass."  
  
"Good!" said Spike before he could stop himself.  
  
"Why, it almost sounds as if you care," said Buffy teasingly.  
  
"I don't," answered Spike quickly. "I just… I'm just … oh sod off." He   
stormed out of the living room and slammed the door behind him.  
  
Xander looked up at Buffy and told her softly: "He really has a good heart   
underneath that icy cold exterior."  
  
"I heard that!" yelled Spike from the other room.  
  
Buffy couldn't help but giggle. Willow came out of the kitchen   
empty-handed, stating that she couldn't remember why she entered the kitchen   
in the first place. She shrugged her shoulders and sat at the edge of the   
couch.  
  
And then the doorbell rang. 


	6. Six

SIX  
  
  
"Who could that be? I hope it's not one of those irritating girl scouts   
again. The profit they make on those cookies is ludicrous."" asked Buffy as   
she got up from the couch. She paused. "Did I just say ludicrous?"  
  
"Indeed you have," said Willow, nodding her head.  
  
Buffy playfully slapped her forehead in mock disdain and proceeded to the   
door. She swung it open. Jared stood there, waiting patiently. "Oh, Jared.   
Come in."  
  
Jared accepted her invitation into Xander's house and walked in slowly.   
Buffy closed the door behind him and followed him. She looked at Willow.   
"Erm.. Willow, this is Jared. Jared, Willow."  
  
They both shook hands before Jared made himself at home on one of the   
chairs. Xander looked up from his couch and groaned. "What are you doing   
here now?"  
  
They heard the sound of a door opening and Spike came out of the nearby   
room. "Xander, the Playstation's acting up again, and I can't…" He stopped   
short when he spotted Jared lazing comfortably on the chair. "That's *my*   
chair."  
  
"Oooh, I didn't know you had a chair," said Buffy, seizing the opportunity   
to ridicule Spike, "Considering the fact you don't really drop by here   
often, and that you live for the sole purpose to destroy every one in this   
room."  
  
Spike glared at her. "One day I'll rip your bloody mouth from your bloody   
face and wear it as a necklace."  
  
"Such thoughts of violence," noted Buffy with a grin on her face.  
  
"Sod off." Spike turned away from her and fixed his eyes on Jared. "You.   
Get out of my chair."  
  
"Fight, fight, fight," chanted Willow softly under her breath. Xander and   
Buffy looked at her, and she meekly glanced downwards.  
  
"Hey, sure," said Jared, getting up and moving to the adjacent chair.   
"Wouldn't dream of depriving a vampire of his chair."  
  
"Good," Spike proceeded to his chair. He sat down on it defensively and   
snarled at Jared. "And don't you bloody come near it again."  
  
"All that training on ethics and manners proved futile," noted Xander in   
disappointed. "And to think I was so pleased when he said his first 'thank   
you'."  
  
Spike growled. "I never said that."  
  
"No, I liked it better when he bumped into me accidentally that day and   
said he was sorry," said Willow, perking up.  
"I said 'sod off', not sorry," said Spike defensively.  
  
"Sorry sounds nothing like sod off," said Buffy. She wanted to add some   
more, but decided that ribbing Spike was less important than finding out why   
Jared was here. She turned to the man sitting beside Spike. "So, Jared, why   
are you here exactly?"  
  
"Well…" Jared looked around first. "Where's the old guy?"  
  
"Giles?" asked Buffy. "Oh, he's not here. But I could call him if you   
want."  
  
"Oh, no, that's not necessary," replied Jared. "You guys could tell him on   
your own later."  
  
"Tell him what?" asked Willow.  
  
"I spoke to my employer, Marcus Harrington, about that tiny proposal made   
by Giles the other night," Jared began slowly, "And let's just say he wasn't   
so pleased when he found out that I told a group of complete strangers that   
he was hiring someone to lessen the vampire population in Sunnydale."  
  
"Oh," said Buffy. "I guess we won't be meeting him, then."  
  
"Actually, you will," Jared said, folding his arms. "Tonight, in fact."  
  
Buffy was taken aback,. "Tonight? I don't understand. I thought you said   
that he…"  
  
"He was a bit upset , yes, at first, but when I told him that you , too,   
slayed vampires, his face lit up like a light bulb," said Jared, leaning   
back on the chair comfortably. "And he's desperately wants to meet you. All   
of you. Including the pet vampire."  
  
Spike snarled. "Well, you can count me out because I'm bloody well not   
going. I've got better things to do."  
  
Jared ignored him. "Harrington is renting an apartment between 27th and   
29th Street. Here, I'll give you the address." He reached into his pocket   
and took out a small, crumpled piece of paper. Taking a pen, he scribbled   
the address down and handed it to Buffy. "He'll be expecting you tonight at   
10. I could come by and take you there, if you wish."  
  
"That'll be nice," said Buffy. "Thank you."  
  
"Why do you think he's so interested in all of us anyway?" Xander spoke up,   
"I thought we were the ones doing all the busybodying."  
  
"I don't know," said Jared, "But I do know that he's pretty keen. I'm not   
paid enough to care what he does this for."  
  
"Everything is about money with you , isn't it?" Xander said, before he   
could stop himself.  
  
"Xander!" said Buffy in disapproval.  
  
"No , that's all right," Jared dismissed the statement without much   
sentiment. "You get used to those type of comments when you're me."  
  
"You mean a money-grabbing, materialistic fascist son of a bitch?" asked   
Spike.  
  
"Spike!" said Buffy in the same tone of voice.  
  
"In not so many words, yes," said Jared through gritted teeth. "But I would   
be careful about repeating that phrase in my face again, unless you want to   
end up on the wrong end of a freshly sharpened stake."  
  
"Ooh, ooh, I'm so scared," Spike pretended to shiver, "Hold me."  
  
"Calm down, boys," said Willow, stepping in. "I think we can all solve this   
without any bloodshed."  
  
Spike said nothing but growled at Jared. Jared just glared icily at the   
vampire.  
  
"See? That's so much better," Willow noted helpfully.  
  
Buffy decided to distract Jared with a question. "Do you think he'll ask us   
to help you slay vampires?"  
  
"I told you, I don't know," he replied, "But whatever it is, he'd better   
not be splitting my salary."  
  
"Maybe he'll pay us. We could go into business. Buffy and Friends, Evil   
Dispatching Services," added Willow excited. "Spike can do all our   
advertisements. We can pretend to slay him, and then film it, and then   
everybody will come flocking to ask us to help them slay their vampires."  
  
Spike stared at her. "I'd sooner stage my own production of The Sound of   
Music than have any part of your bloody stupid idea."  
  
Willow looked down. "I was only saying…"  
  
"Guys, guys," intervened Buffy, "living in a fantasy world much?"  
  
"Sorry," said Willow softly. Spike started to apologize too, but stopped   
himself just in time.  
  
Jared stood up. "I've got to run. Tell that old guy what I told you people.   
Remember, I'll be here slightly before ten. Be ready." He then left.  
  
"Doesn't he just suck all the air out of the room?" asked Spike.  
  
"Right," said Xander, "I told you he was a bad, bad, man."  
  
"You're just prejudiced," said Buffy, "And what for, I don't know."  
  
"He sat on my chair, that bloody wank," muttered Spike angrily. "He bloody   
sat on my chair."  
  
"Get over it , Spike," said Buffy.  
  
"Did you see the way he threatened to stake Spike?" asked Xander, "That   
shows he's nothing but a terrible, cold-hearted vampire killer. Shame on   
him. Shame!"  
  
"So?" Buffy put her hands no her hip, "I've threatened to stake Spike many   
times and I don't see you calling me terrible and cold-hearted."  
  
"That's different," Xander said slowly, trying to think of a logical (yet   
witty) comeback. None came.  
  
"She didn't sit on my chair," added Spike helpfully.  
  
"That's right," said Xander, triumphantly. "You didn't sit on Spike's   
chair."  
Buffy gave Xander a look and decided there was no point arguing with him.   
He was probably going to dislike Jared for the rest of his life and there   
was nothing she could do about it. "You're just… weird."  
  
"Don't you call him that!" said Spike suddenly. An odd silence filled the   
room as everybody stared at the vampire in shock. Spike realised his mistake   
and clumsily started to cover his tracks. "… he's… he's ehh… he's much worse   
than that."  
  
"That's okay, Spike," said Xander as he reached out and placed a hand on   
Spike's shoulder. "I know you love me."  
  
"I don't!" protested Spike as he got out of his chair quickly. "Just sod   
off! All of you!"  
  
He marched into the nearby room, and slammed the door.  
  
"He says that with so much emotion," said Xander. "He really means 'I love   
you', you know."  
  
They all had a good laugh. 


	7. Seven

SEVEN  
  
"What am I going to wear?" asked Buffy as she modeled the six hundredth   
dress in front of her full-length mirror.  
  
"Why are you bothering?" asked Willow as she sat cross-legged on the floor   
a few feet away from Buffy. "It's not like it's a date or anything. And if   
you ask me, that Marcus Harrington is probably an old disgusting man with   
Alzheimer's. He could be bald."  
  
"I always believe in making a good impression," Buffy put back the dress   
she was holding and took out a rather revealing outfit hanging from her   
closet. She held it close to her body and stared at her reflection.  
  
"You expect to make a good impression wearing next to nothing?" asked   
Xander, who was conveniently lying on Buffy's bed, wishing the circumstances   
of him being on it were different. "I say you wear a very cool boiler suit   
with a matching blazer."  
  
"I think it's not for Mr. Harrington," said Willow mischievously, "I think   
it's for a certain vampire hunter we all know."  
  
Xander sat up. "You can't be serious."  
  
"Don't listen to Willow," said Buffy defensively, "She doesn't know what   
she's talking most of the time. Besides, I don't think I'm ready for   
anything like that yet."  
  
"I thought that physical encounter with Riley set you on the path to   
rediscovery *and* recovery," said Willow. "I know it certainly helped me   
deal with a lot of issues."  
  
"It felt good all right," said Buffy with a smile about her soon to be   
ex-husband, "but I still feel kind of … well… I don't know."  
  
"And wearing *that* won't help things," said Xander, walking over to her   
and snatching the outfit, putting it away. "I heard that being conservative   
is the in thing now."  
  
"What is this, the 1920's?" asked Buffy rhetorically. She picked out   
another outfit and stared at it. Xander frowned at the lack of material on   
the outfit and chose her another one.  
  
"Don't you have anything more… nunnish?" asked Xander, browsing through   
each article of clothing.  
  
"Nunnish?" echoed Buffy.  
  
"You know, Mother Theresa, Daughter of God, kind of thing."  
  
"I'm sorry, I threw those out last week," said Buffy. She pointed to a   
dress Xander had tossed aside. "What's wrong with that?"  
  
"It's all right, I guess," said Xander , examining it. "If you don't mind   
Marcus Harrington thinking all Slayers are cheap."  
  
Willow giggled.  
  
"You didn't seem to mind when I wore that last week," Buffy noted   
as-a-matter-of-factly. "In fact, I think you were very Pro-Cheap that   
night."  
  
Xander went 'humph' and walked back to her bed and plopped himself down on   
it. He stated to imagine Buffy lying down next to him doing all sorts of   
deeds but stopped himself in time. He leaned back against the head rest and   
watched Buffy closely.  
  
"So, is Spike coming tonight or not?" asked Willow suddenly, just for the   
sake of fun.  
  
Xander shifted his gaze to Willow. "He said he's bloody well not coming…   
along with a few more colorful words."  
  
"That's too bad," said Willow. "I actually think he's kind of fun."  
  
Buffy dropped the hangar she was holding. "Fun?"  
  
"I said kind of," answered Willow. She gave Buffy a shy grin and looked at   
her watch. "Look, as much as it is fun discussing clothes, boys and   
vampires, I've got things that have got to be done before tonight. See you   
soon, Buffy."  
  
She got up and waved at her two friends before leaving the room.  
  
"I think Willow's got a crush on Spike," said Buffy naughtily as soon as   
she verified that Willow was out of the house.  
  
Xander raised his eyebrows. "Isn't she like … gay?"  
"Oh, you never know." Buffy turned back to look at the mirror. "That girl   
is full of surprises."  
  
Xander paused for a moment before speaking to Buffy. "What exactly do you   
see in him, anyway?"  
  
Buffy turned around, still clutching one of her dresses. "Who? Spike?"  
  
"No. Jared."  
  
"I don't see anything in him," she replied shortly. "What makes you think I   
see anything in him?"  
  
"I don't know… the way you act around him," Xander said slowly, as if each   
word might be his last. "You were kind of giving off signals."  
  
"I was not!" protested Buffy. "Okay… so maybe I was a little bit more   
social than usual, but that doesn't mean anything."  
  
"Right." Xander grabbed one of the pillows that was lying beside him.  
  
"What's up with you anyway?" asked Buffy, ditching her wardrobe-choosing   
activities and turning back to Xander. "You've been on his back ever since   
you met him."  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about," said Xander coolly. He tossed the   
pillow lightly aside and played with one of the stuffed animals by the   
bedside.  
  
"Really." Buffy walked up to him and snatched the stuffed pig away from him   
and put it back in it's original position.  
  
"Hey!" cried Xander. "I gave you that pig."  
  
Buffy sat down next to him on the edge of the bed. She didn't say anything   
, but just stared at him.  
  
"What?" Xander asked her nervously. He paused and fidgeted. "So I wasn't   
very nice to the guy. Is that a crime?"  
  
"No, it isn't," said Buffy, "I'm just wondering why."  
  
Because I'm jealous, thought Xander, but he didn't say it. "Must I like   
everyone I meet?"  
  
"You're not answering the question."  
  
"He bugs me." Xander tried to stall her while he thought of a reasonable   
and mature excuse for being such an ass towards Jared. "I don't like his   
values."  
  
"What values?"  
  
"My point exactly," said Xander, realising that he actually had something   
to go on. "He's like this money grabbing… thing."  
  
"*That's* what's bugging you?" asked Buffy in disbelief. She had known   
Xander for a long time, and something told her that this wasn't the real   
story.  
  
"Yes," lied Xander.  
  
"Okay." Buffy decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. Whatever it   
was, he'd crack down and tell her sooner or later. "You sound almost   
jealous, you know."  
Xander blinked at her for a few moments. "No… er… I'm not. Don't be silly."  
  
Buffy realised that old Xander-Evasion Tactic and realised she had hit the   
nail right on the spot. "Are you jealous of Jared?"  
  
"I told… you I'm not." Xander tried to find something to do to cover up his   
stammering. He snatched the pig from the bedside and played with it again.  
  
"I've know you like, forever," Buffy said, "I would think you would tell me   
the truth by now."  
  
Truth, ha ha, thought Xander, that's something interesting. Wouldn't you   
like to hear about it. Would you like to hear about how much I love you,   
Buffy? Would you like to hear about how I wanted you ever since we were   
sixteen? Wouldn't you like to know that.  
  
"Xander?"  
  
Xander shook himself from his thoughts. "Eh. Nothing."  
  
"You sure?" Buffy looked concerned. "If something's bothering you, we   
could…"  
  
"Nah." Xander stood up. Time to change the topic. Or leave. Whichever was   
easier. "Look, I've got to… check on Spike. Or he'll … do something really   
bad. I'll see you tonight, okay."  
  
"Okay." Buffy looked after him as he went. She wondered what could possibly   
be up with him this time. 


	8. Eight

EIGHT  
  
  
Buffy settled for her usual wear, instead of picking one from an almost   
unlimited amount of choices. She was at Xander's by 9.30 , and pleasantly   
discovered she was the last one to arrive. Spike gave her the usual growl   
and ignored her as she entered.  
  
Willow was sitting on the couch, looking usually over-worried about   
something, and talking to Giles. Buffy decided that the conversation they   
were having was probably too boring for her liking so she sat herself down   
next to Xander who was on the couch with Spike watching television.  
  
Spike bared his fangs at her. Buffy condescendingly patted his head. Spike   
growled even louder and moved away from her and sat down on 'his chair',   
watching her vengefully from the corner of his eyes.  
  
"You're too mean to him, you know that," said Xander, not looking at her.  
  
"Hey, he went all Rin-Tin-Tin over me, okay." Buffy replied, as she leaned   
back. Spike was still watching her, giving her the silent treatment. Buffy   
looked over at Xander and contemplated asking him about that afternoon. She   
decided against it, predicting that he would pretty much be as evasive as   
ever… especially with everybody here. "So, what are you watching?"  
  
"Some cable movie." Xander answered rather monotonously. Buffy wondered if   
he was still acting up.  
  
"What's it about?" Buffy tried again.  
  
"Something." Xander's eyes seemed glued to the television.  
  
"Who's in it?" Buffy attempted conversation for the third time.  
  
"Oh, bloody hell, will you just shut up?" Spike finally yelled from his   
seat. "Some of us are actually trying to watch the bloody tele."  
  
Buffy glared at him and looked back at Xander. He was still focused on the   
movie. She followed his line of sight and realised that he was watching a   
bikini-clad silicon-injected blonde running around in a mansion. She shifted   
her glance between Xander and Spike, both staring fixedly at the screen.   
Deciding that nothing short of a nuclear war could distract them, Buffy   
leaned back and watched a man wearing a scary mask chase after the girl with   
a huge scimitar.  
  
"Oh! My! God!" screamed the girl on the television artificially as the   
scimitar sliced off her bikini top.  
  
Buffy thought Xander's eyes would pop. "What kind of stupid movie is this?"  
  
"Shh!" shushed Spike and Xander simultaneously.  
  
"Fine," muttered Buffy to no one in particular. She folded her arms.  
  
When the doorbell rang she jumped up immediately and ran to answer it. Jared   
stood there, leaning against the door frame as if it he had been waiting for   
years. "Are we all ready?"  
  
"Yes." Buffy then proceeded to announce that their ride was here, much to   
the disappointment of Xander. Willow and Giles got up and went to the front   
door. Xander had to be dragged from the couch.  
  
"You don't really need me to go, right?" asked Xander, trying to spot what   
was going on the television from his position. "You could just tell me about   
it."  
  
"It just wouldn't be the same," reasoned Buffy, "besides, you always said   
you didn't want to be left out of whatever it was we did."  
  
"Don't you know by now that I don't know what I'm saying?"  
  
"Come on," urged Buffy, holding on to his arm.  
  
'Fine," answered Xander reluctantly. He motioned to Spike. "Tape it for me."  
  
* * *  
Because Giles had ceremoniously opted for the front seat, Willow , Buffy   
and Xander were pushed to the back seat. The three of them adjusted   
themselves uncomfortably, finally settling for a suitable arrangement -   
Buffy between Willow and Xander.  
  
Giles took it upon himself to engage Jared in a boring conversation. Willow   
joined in here and there occasionally. Xander decided to look out of the   
window, thinking regretfully about the cable movie.  
  
Buffy tapped his shoulder. "Hey."  
  
"Hey." He answered, breaking his gaze from the window and turning to face   
her.  
  
Buffy tapped her fingers together. "Erm… what's up?"  
  
"Nothing much," said Xander as he turned back to the window, watching the   
people on the sidewalk. "Ooh! Hookers!"  
  
"That's nice," said Buffy, not interested in having a look. She would rather   
do a little poking around. "Look, Xander…"  
  
"How much do you think they earn?" asked Xander, interrupting her.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Hookers," said Xander, turning around to the back window of the car, trying   
to have a last look at them before the car turned round the corner.  
  
"I don't know," said Buffy, shaking her head, "And I'd rather not talk   
about hookers."  
  
"Okay." Xander leaned against his window. He didn't say anything else.  
  
Buffy decided to give up for the time being. She looked at Willow, who was   
animatedly discussing something with Giles, who seemed a hundred and ten   
percent interested. Somewhere along the line, it seemed that Jared had   
cleverly disengaged himself from the conversation. Buffy made a mental note   
to ask him to teach her that useful maneuver.  
  
"Well, we're here," said Jared after a while. He parked the car in front of   
the apartment building and stepped out. The rest followed suit. "He's on   
the second floor. Not too high up. We'll use the stairs. It's faster than   
the pathetic elevator they have."  
  
After a short flight of stairs, they reached their destination. Jared   
knocked on the door three times and waited.  
  
"Who is it?" A deep voice came from behind the door.  
  
"Mr. Harrington, it's me." Jared answered. "I brought the others."  
  
"Ah, good." The voice answered. "Hold on."  
  
They heard some footsteps from behind the door, rhythmically accompanied by   
the tapping of what sounded like a walking stick. The footsteps were slow   
and steady, and it took a while before they heard the unlatching of the   
door. The door creaked as it opened, as if it had not been used for years…   
and the gang had their first glimpse of Marcus Harrington.  
  
He was bald, the light from the hallway bouncing off his hairless head. His   
right hand clasped tightly around a walking stick with a bronze eagle carved   
on the head of it. He was wearing a dark long-sleeved shirt, and   
dirty-looking pair of slacks.  
  
It took them a while to realise that he was blind. Dark glasses shielded   
his eyes, pieces of light reflecting in the lenses. His hand positioned   
steadily on his walking stick, he held out his hand in front of him. "Hello.   
I am Marcus Harrington." 


	9. Nine

NINE  
  
"Don't just stand there," Marcus said, "Come on in."  
  
He moved slowly to the side to allow the rest of them to enter. Jared   
walked in first, followed by the others. Marcus closed the door behind them   
and walked into the living room of the small apartment. "You must excuse the   
condition of my… temporary home. Cleaning up is a bit… difficult , for   
someone with my condition."  
  
"It's fine," said Buffy, looking around. "Looks quite cozy."  
  
"Are you the Slayer?" Marcus asked directly, moving towards Buffy.  
  
"That's what they call me," she answered.  
  
"We have been told that you yourself take partake in a little vampire   
eradication yourself, Mr. Harrington," Giles ventured forward.  
  
"Marcus."  
  
"Marcus," corrected Giles. "I assume that we were brought here to discuss   
something of that nature?"  
  
"Yes… Mr?"  
  
"Giles. Rupert Giles."  
  
"Ah, yes. Mr. Giles. I'm afraid I might need your help for a moment or so,"   
Marcus tapped his walking stick in front of him and slowly walked to the   
nearby chair. He sat down and crossed his legs. "And it is my utmost hope   
that you will aid me in my cause."  
  
"And what cause is that?" asked Willow.  
  
"Perhaps I should start from the beginning," said Marcus, turning to Willow   
at the sound of her voice. "I belong to the Guild of Seers, also known to   
many as the Keepers of…"  
  
"Time and Mind," continued Giles.  
  
"Glad to see that's a household name," chipped in Xander.  
  
Giles ignored Xander's comment. "I have heard of the Seers before… but I   
have never… expected to meet one."  
  
Marcus nodded. "We do have a reputation of being … hard to locate. Our   
extraordinary gifts often forces us to live a disclosed life, away from the   
prying eyes of mortals wishing to learn more about their past. Or future."  
  
"What gifts are these?" Buffy asked.  
  
"We have been given the power to travel back and forth between dimensions,   
or to explore the labyrinth which is the human mind. However, due to the   
untold damage that could be inflicted through its wrong usage, the Guild has   
banned all usage of our powers."  
  
"I see," Giles nodded. "But why are you hiring someone to slay vampires?"  
  
"Alas," Marcus leaned his walking stick against the nearby table, and put   
his hands on his lap. "A few weeks ago, a member of our guild was turned   
into a vampire. His name is Karakos. Despite his 'age', he has already   
gained a strong following among the vampires. Our sources have tracked him   
here, to Sunnydale, where we believe he has set up a new home.  
  
"The Guild fears our power will be abused by the corrupted demon, and they   
have sent me to deal with him… in any means necessary. I have known Karakos   
for more than a decade, and the only way to get to him is to draw him out. I   
have hired Jared to slay the vampires, in hope that a massacre will force   
Karakos to a confrontation.  
  
"I feel that having the Slayer on our side will quicken Karakos'   
appearance. He is not one to take opposition lightly, and with a challenge   
such as a vampire slayer, he is sure to make himself be seen."  
  
"So, you want me to help you slay Karakos." Buffy summed up.  
  
"Yes," Marcus said, "With you and Jared working together, word will soon   
spread, and hopefully Karakos will make his appearance in due time."  
  
"Okay," said Buffy, "I'm gonna have to slay this Karakos fella sooner or   
later. Especially since he's a vampire on my turf."  
  
"Don't you think he sounds kind of dangerous?" asked Willow, worriedly.  
  
"Yes. You must be very careful when you face Karakos. He is a deadly   
warrior, and since the bloodlust has claimed him, I fear that he may be even   
more dangerous." Marcus answered.  
  
"Danger is my middle name, Marcus," said Buffy with a smile. "I'll be all   
right."  
  
"I cannot thank you enough," said Marcus. "I will be forever in your debt -   
as well as the Guild."  
  
"Well, I haven't really done anything yet," she said, "Save your thank   
you's till after we've swept up Karakos and put him in a little jar."  
  
"I'm still getting paid the full rate, right?" asked Jared suddenly, from   
the corner of the room.  
  
- - -  
  
"Impressed, Giles?"  
  
"Oh, rather," Buffy's ex-watcher replied from the front seat. "A Seer. I   
never knew…"  
  
"I sort of like him," Willow said, joining the conversation. "He seemed   
like a nice guy. And he has the coolest walking stick."  
  
"He does talk like Giles, though," said Xander.  
  
"Do you have a problem with him, Xander?" asked Buffy, innocently.  
  
"No," said Xander nonchalantly, turning to face the window. "Not *all*   
people bug me."  
  
"Okay," said Buffy in a sing song voice.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Xander, irritatedly.  
  
"I think it's supposed to mean , 'okay'."  
  
"Not in a sing-song voice. An 'okay' is a simple, two-syllable word. You   
have layered it with sarcasm and mockery," said Xander.  
  
"I did not," countered Buffy, "I was just saying…"  
  
"Giles," Willow whined exaggeratedly, "Buffy and Xander are fighting!"  
  
Giles turned around from the front seat and stared at them. "Could the   
three of you please grow up? You do realise that you are no longer   
teenagers."  
  
"Yes, we do," said Xander. He leaned forward. "Are we there yet?"  
  
Giles decided that involving himself in a conversation with them would only   
result in hypertension and the longing for a nice hot cup of tea, so he   
ignored them and said nothing.  
  
"I think we made Giles mad," whispered Willow.  
  
"Nah, he's just acting spoilt," said Xander, looking out of the window   
again. "He'll be back to normal when he realises that nobody… Hookers!"  
  
"Those poor girls have been out on the street for hours, haven't they?"   
asked Willow, leaning across Buffy to have a good look at what Xander was   
getting all excited about.  
  
"I think that's the whole point," said Buffy.  
  
"Man, the middle one looks hot," commented Xander as they passed by. "Now,   
she's a good way to spend your money."  
  
"Xander!" exclaimed Buffy and slapped him on the arm.  
  
"What?" Xander said. "I'm a man. I have urges. I have lust. I have…"  
  
"Let's not go into what else you have," said Buffy.  
  
"Why? Afraid you'd get too turned on?"  
  
Giles, eavesdropping, shook his head and buried it in his hands.  
  
* * * 


	10. Ten

TEN  
  
"Xander… wake up."  
  
Xander, who had his head buried in his pillow, mumbled something inaudible   
and shook his hand vaguely at the rude intruder. A hand gripped his   
shoulder and pushed him vigorously. Xander mumbled something again and   
refused to move.  
  
"Oh, bloody hell, wake up you good for nothing wank."  
  
Xander reluctantly opened his eyes and turned over, looking at the clock at   
his bedside. Its large, red numbers glowed almost mockingly in the darkness.   
He groaned. "Why are you waking me up this early?"  
  
"You told me to," said Spike directly, "You said 'wake me up at 4.09'. It's   
actually 4.12 now, but I don't think it makes much of a difference."  
  
"I said wake me up *before* nine," said Xander, through clenched teeth. He   
rolled over to his side and grabbed the nearby pillow. "Now go away."  
  
"I'm bored," said Spike.  
  
"It's a couple of hours till dawn. Go out and stalk somebody."  
  
"I did that last week. And she sprayed mace at me." Spike frowned   
pitifully. "Nobody's afraid of me anymore."  
  
"It's four o'clock in the morning," said Xander grumpily, "Do you honestly   
think I care?"  
  
"Want to come down and watch TV?" asked Spike hopefully. "I heard that   
there's this really good movie on cable."  
  
"Spike…" Xander began slowly. "You've become so pathetic, it's not even   
funny anymore."  
  
"I know," said Spike helplessly. "It's bloody hard being a ruthless son of   
a bitch when they have this bloody chip in my brain."  
  
Xander didn't say anything but slowly dozed off. A sudden movement shook   
him out of his dream world and back into cold , harsh reality. "You know   
Spike, you're really crossing the line when you barge into my room at four   
o'clock in the morning and proceed to climb into my bed."  
  
"The couch downstairs is hard."  
  
"Forgive me if I say this but… SO?"  
  
"You know, you've been bloody unsociable the past few days," said Spike,   
"Normally I would applaud this kind of behaviour, but you really bite."  
  
Xander muttered some obscenities under his breath but Spike didn't manage   
to catch them.  
"I know what's pulling your cord," continued Spike, oblivious to the fact   
that he was the only one in the room interested in what he had to say. "It's   
the bloody slayer, isn't it?"  
  
"It has nothing to do with Buffy," said Xander, suddenly very alert and   
very awake.  
  
"What do you think I am, bloody stupid?" Spike said, "I don't see what you   
see in her."  
  
"None of your business."  
  
"Ah, so it's just a physical thing, is it?" Spike went on, "Can't resist a   
good pair of legs? Not that she has a good pair of legs, mind you, I've seen   
better in my years, and believe me, I've had…"  
  
"Spike?" Xander asked slowly, "Get out of my bed."  
  
"Come on," pleaded Spike, "It's cold downstairs. And your life's much more   
interesting than mine. Mine's bloody boring."  
  
Xander opened one eye slowly and then yawned. He slowly got up and leaned   
against the head rest. "You sound almost caring."  
  
"I'm not," shot back Spike instantly, "I just take delight in your personal   
traumas. It's part of the whole bad guy complex."  
  
"Right," nodded Xander. He took a deep breath, and thought for a while.   
"Okay, it's like this."  
  
He paused even longer, and Spike grew impatient. "Well?"  
  
Xander gave Spike an irritated look before continuing. "It's… I thought I   
was handling this whole thing pretty well for the past few years, you know,   
without all that 'letting it get in the way of our friendship' kind of deal,   
but then…" Xander gave some rather insignificant hand movements as if to   
help it explain his points better. "Recently it's… I… it's like I'm sixteen   
again."  
  
"Maybe it's because you just think with your …"  
  
"Spike," interrupted Xander, "This really works better without your running   
commentary."  
  
He didn't wait for Spike to answer back, but continued instead. "I think   
it's because all that while I thought I couldn't… shouldn't do anything,   
because she was married to that jerk for a while, and that whole 'thou shalt   
not commit adultery' thing freaked me out a bit. I mean, it's like now my   
mind's saying 'Here's your chance! Take it!' , and I'm all wobbly again. And   
that Jared guy, gah, he just makes it worse."  
  
"Jared's a wank," added Spike enthusiastically. "A bloody wank."  
  
"Yes," agreed Xander, "But that guy … ugh. Now if he wasn't so suave, and   
cool, with his Vampire Hunter act, it wouldn't be so bad. But oh no, he has   
to waltz in with his stupid sunglasses and his stupid walk and his stupid,   
stupid style."  
  
"Stupid," echoed Spike, "He should just sod off."  
  
"Exactly!" answered Xander, "That was exactly what I thought, although my   
words were much more colorful. Of course, Buffy just thinks I'm being   
childish and jealous."  
  
"Aren't you?"  
  
"That's not the point."  
  
"Right," said Spike, stretching his arms, "The point is - you're a moron."  
  
"This is the last time I'm confiding in you."  
  
"This whole situation is bloody ridiculous," said Spike irritably, "If you   
really want to be bloody happy, all you have to do is just do something   
about it, instead of lying in bed bemoaning the loss of the love you never   
had. I swear, you're worse than Angel."  
  
Xander looked insulted but didn't say anything for a while. "So you think   
if I just… talk to her… things'll work out? I could be deliriously happy?"  
  
"Of course," said Spike. He stopped. "Not that I condone happiness in any   
sort of way. In fact, ignore what I said. I say you suffer silently, and let   
it eat away your insides until you become nothing but a bloody empty vessel.   
Now, that's fun."  
  
"Spike," Xander said. "Get out of my bed."  
  
* * *  
  
"So what's the plan?" asked Willow.  
  
"We meet Jared later tonight, do a little vampire killing, drop a few hints   
we want Karakos, and then lather , rinse, repeat until he comes to us," said   
Buffy, sitting cross-legged on her bed. She tapped her fingers   
unconsciously. "I think Xander has a problem with Jared."  
  
"Really?" asked Willow.  
  
"Yeah," replied Buffy, "But he's not being very responsive lately."  
  
"Oh, that's Xander all right," said Willow. "You want me to go dig it out   
of him? Sometimes I can do that. I've been told that I'm quite the ruthless   
interrogator."  
  
"Thanks, but no," said Buffy, giving her red-haired friend a smile, "I just   
get this feeling it's not just Jared he has a problem with."  
  
"Complex, isn't he?"  
  
"I don't know. Something tells me it kind of involves me as well."  
  
Oh, thought Willow, immediately knowing the problem without having to hear   
anything else. "I'm sure it's nothing. Sometimes he's just really moody."  
  
"I've known him for like forever now. I've never known him to be moody."  
  
"Well… ah… I've known him a few years longer than forever, and sometimes   
he's just… Grouch. That green Sesame Street thing ain't got nothing on him,"   
lied Willow.  
  
"I didn't know that," said Buffy blankly. She paused. "Do you think that   
he… doesn't trust me as much as he does you?"  
  
"What?" asked Willow.  
  
"You know…" Buffy drew strange figures with her finger into her bed. "All   
this time, we've never really… talked. I mean , we've hung out together, and   
done stuff, but … he doesn't share things with me … the way he does with   
you."  
  
"Well," said Willow, thinking of a reasonable answer, "He's known me longer   
than you, and we've been like, best friends since we were playing in the   
sandbox together."  
  
"I know," said Buffy. "I just feel that… there's something he's not telling   
me."  
  
"Maybe it's a surprise?" attempted Willow weakly.  
  
"I don't know," said Buffy, shrugging off Willow's comment, "It's not just   
… all this time I've always felt that there was something … missing between   
us, as if there was something there that prevents us from talking, or…"  
  
Willow didn't say anything.  
  
Buffy looked down for a moment and then shook her head. "I'm probably just   
reaching here."  
  
Willow shrugged her shoulders. "Probably."  
  
Buffy sighed and bit her lower lip. "Hey, it's been like this forever,   
right," she said carelessly in a rather unconvincing tone. "Why bother   
thinking about it."  
  
Her friend gave her a look that suggested many things, but Buffy didn't   
quite get it because she was busy looking elsewhere.  
  
- - -  
  
  
Xander opened the door cautiously and stepped inside. He tiptoed in and   
closed the door slowly behind him, careful not to make any unnecessary   
noise. Pulling the bolt, he latched the door and walked into the hall. Only   
to be greeted by a blonde vision of madness and anger.  
  
"Well, you're bloody early, aren't you?" spat out Spike, who was sitting on   
his chair, watching the entrance.  
  
"I… we…" Xander struggled for a suitable excuse. "We got held up."  
  
"By what?"  
  
"A group of vampires. Don't worry, Buffy killed them all."  
  
"You're still late," answered Spike bitterly, "And I assume with all that   
vampire slaying, the thought never occurred to you to call home."  
  
"I was being pinned against the wall by a seven-foot undead creature of the   
night," said Xander, "So , no, the thought did not cross my mind."  
  
"All right, all right," said Spike waving his hand and turning away, "It's   
all right if I don't matter enough for you to just pick up the bloody   
telephone once in a while and just * tell * me you're going to be late."  
  
"I was in a cemetery!" Xander defended himself. "And in case you haven't   
noticed, there aren't that many telephones nearby. Besides, I'm only half an   
hour la…"  
  
"Oh, sure," spewed Spike, "Sure. That's what they always say. * Now * ,   
it's half an hour. Next week it'll be an hour. And then soon it'll be three   
hours. And after that you pretty much won't be coming home for a whole   
week…"  
  
"Spike!" Xander cut him short. "Will you listen to yourself?"  
  
Spike stopped and paused. He then started again. "Well, it's bloody well   
easy for you to say, since you're off gallivanting with your friends, while   
I stay here and bloody rot to hell."  
"I swear, I was thinking about you the whole time."  
  
"Liar."  
  
"Anyway, You said you didn't want to come because Jared was a, quote,   
unquote, self-righteous wank and son of a bitch," said Xander. "So don't   
you go looking at me and whining."  
  
"I'm not whining."  
  
"Yes you are," said Xander, "And it's getting pretty sad. You know, a long   
time ago you were a vicious killing machine who instilled fear into   
everybody's hearts. Now you're sitting home alone complaining about 'our   
relationship'. It ain't a pretty sight."  
  
"Oh, sure, now I'm the bloody sad one," said Spike, somewhat offended. "I   
wasn't the one moaning away about some slayer I have the hots for but   
haven't got the guts to do anything about."  
  
"You crawled into my bed! I never asked you to listen!"  
  
"You know what, I'm going to my bloody room," said Spike and stormed off   
out of the living room. "Where I'm appreciated."  
  
Xander stood there and waited for the few seconds it took Spike to realize   
he did not have a room.  
  
Spike came back in and sat on his chair, glaring at Xander, warning him not   
to make any snide comment. "I like it here better anyways. So sod off."  
  
* * *  
  
"You told me there would be vampires to kill," whined Spike, sitting on a   
tombstone. "I've been waiting here for hours and the only thing that's dead   
is me."  
  
"Will you quit complaining?" asked Buffy, who was seated cross-legged   
across from the vampire. "You'll scare them away."  
  
"What do you think this bloody is? FISHING?"  
  
"Well, it ain't Oprah, so keep quiet."  
  
"Nobody forced you to come," said Xander, who was beside Buffy, "You   
dragged yourself here. You said you wanted to do whatever it was we were   
doing. You said you wanted to kill something. You said…"  
  
"I know what I bloody said, so you don't have to repeat it."  
  
"I was just reminding…"  
  
Giles looked over at them and contemplating smashing his head against the   
mausoleum wall. Jared stood several feet away from him, leaning against a   
tree, and looking around.  
  
"Do you think he'll show tonight?" Willow asked Giles, hoping for a more   
civilized conversation then the one the others were carrying out. "We've   
been doing this for nearly a week now and he's still not around."  
  
"If what Marcus said was right, then Karakos should reveal himself. It's   
only a matter of time."  
  
Spike got up and walked around in circles. "I don't even know why I bloody   
came here."  
  
"I just told you," interjected Xander, "You said you…"  
  
Spike snarled at him.  
  
"Oh, stop it, Spike," said Buffy, "Lassie's got more bite."  
  
Spike gave her the finger and walked back to his tombstone.  
  
"You so have issues," said Buffy.  
  
"You're a bloody ditz," shot back Spike.  
  
"You're a puppy."  
  
"You're a bitch."  
  
"You're neutered."  
  
"You're fat."  
  
"You couldn't kill a dying grandmother in a wheelchair."  
  
"You…"  
  
"Stop it!" yelled Xander. "Can't we just get on like civilized people?"  
  
"He called me a ditz!" said Buffy, "Am I supposed to just take that from   
him?"  
  
"No offense, Buffy," said Xander with a small smile, "but sometimes your   
head is primarily made out of air."  
  
"Hah!" laughed Spike gleefully.  
  
"What?" asked Buffy unbelievingly.  
  
"But it's one of your most attractive qualities," Xander answered quickly.  
  
"Yes, you would know about that, wouldn't you," said Spike with a slight   
edge in his tone.  
  
"No, I * wouldn't *," said Xander through clenched teeth, signaling Spike   
to shut up.  
  
"Yes, you would," said Spike. He turned to Buffy. "Say, Slayer, did you   
know that Xander really has a thing for…"  
  
"Britney Spears!" shot out Xander.  
  
"Huh?" Buffy said, totally confused.  
  
"Gotta love her showmanship," said Xander unconvincingly with a lame   
attempt at a grin.  
  
Spike rolled his eyes and decided that mentally torturing Xander could be   
postponed to a rainy day. He got up again and dusted his pants. "Well this   
is bloody boring. I'm going home."  
  
"You mean you're going to my home," said Xander.  
  
"Or, I could stay here and we could bloody well talk about …" Spike made   
the message clear with his eyes. "Britney Spears."  
  
"Make yourself at home. My home is your home."  
  
"Good." Spike tossed Buffy another dirty glare before he turned around and   
walked off.  
  
"You two have a strange, strange, relationship," said Buffy, watching the   
blonde vampire leave. "I wonder what was that about?"  
  
"What was what about?" asked Xander innocently.  
  
"Oh, nothing." Buffy looked at the ground and then at her surroundings.   
Jared , as usual was standing by himself doing his own thing, and Willow and   
Giles were engaged in another boring conversation. She looked at Xander.   
"Can we talk?"  
  
"Sure," he replied. "About what?"  
  
"You know… I…" Buffy tried to begin. "You've been acting … differently   
lately."  
  
"No I haven't," lied Xander.  
  
"Yes, you have." Buffy looked at him and into his dark, chocolate eyes. "I…   
is it me? Did I do something to…"  
  
"No," said Xander, putting his hand on her arm. "Well, maybe…"  
  
"Maybe?"  
  
Xander swallowed and thought over what to say next. He took a deep breath.   
"Buffy… I think there's something… I … think you should know."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Well… I…" Words didn't seem to come out of his mouth properly. "I…   
recently I've been… thinking … been feeling, that this is …"  
  
"Boring." A new voice interrupted their conversation. Buffy and Xander   
stood up immediately and looked towards the source of the sound. Jared,   
Willow and Giles also sprang to alert.  
  
Crouching on the branch of a nearby tree was a dark figure, looking down at   
them menacingly. He jumped down and landed on all fours, before slowly   
getting up. He wore a long, gray trench coat, and black boots that glimmered   
as the moonlight reflected off it. His long hair danced along with the soft   
night breeze, a contrasting white with his dark attire. As he stepped   
closer, they could see what seemed to be a Japanese or Chinese figure carved   
into his forehead.  
  
He tilted his head in an almost mocking fashion and addressed them. "Am I   
late?"  
  
-- -- 


	11. Eleven

ELEVEN  
  
Karakos walked slowly towards them as if he were a jungle cat stalking his   
prey. He held his hands behind his back in an insincere attempt at   
innocence. His long white hair seemed even more prominent as he approached   
them. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting."  
  
"We're fine, thanks," said Buffy as she tightened her grip around her   
stake.  
  
"It was nice of you to wait, anyhow," said Karakos, his rough, steady voice   
cutting through the night like a sharp blade. "If I were in your place, I   
wouldn't have been so patient."  
  
"Enough with the chit-chat," said Jared, drawing out his sword. "Let's get   
on with it."  
  
"Must everything be solved with violence?" Karakos asked, with a trace of   
sarcasm tingling through his speech. "What happened to love, peace, and all   
that Gandhi stuff?"  
  
"I don't believe in that," answered Jared.  
  
Karakos gave a sigh. "I guess I should have known better than to expect   
such… refinement from Marcus Harrington's protégés."  
  
"Well, we didn't exactly come here for tea and crackers," said Buffy. "And   
I'm guessing neither did you."  
  
"I was hoping for a snack, but I guess you'll have to do." He vamped out   
and bared his fangs, snarling ferociously. "Reveal yourselves, my children."  
  
A coterie of vampires emerged from the shadows and stood behind Karakos,   
licking their lips and flashing their fangs. Within an instant, they charged   
and attacked. In contrast, their leader took a step back and watched.  
  
Four vampires flew towards Buffy and Xander with blinding speed. Buffy   
reflexively dodged their attacks, as well as managed to land a few of her   
own. She round housed a vampire and sent him crashing to the ground, and   
turned around only to find herself face to face with another one. A third   
vampire approached from her side and swung his claws wildly at her. Buffy   
took a step backwards and tumbled over the first fallen vampire. In her   
fall, her stake fell out of her hand and rolled a few feet away. She   
struggled to get up but was pinned to the ground by a vampire. She tried to   
push him off, but was relieved from the burden when he disintegrated to   
dust, thanks to Xander, who managed to stake him.  
  
Their victory was short-lived, as Xander was picked up by another vampire   
who then proceeded to slam him against a tree. Buffy managed to get up in   
time and grabbed the vampire by the collar of his shirt.  
The vampire instinctively dropped Xander, who crawled out of the way as   
Buffy pummeled the undead vampire before impaling him on the branch of the   
tree.  
Jared swung his sword and decapitated the oncoming vampire, but was charged   
by several others. He was bowled to the ground, but managed to kick them   
off. He got up and reached for his sword, but was struck by one of the   
vampires. His head swung back and he stumbled backwards, falling once again.   
The vampires prepared to descend on him, but were warded off by Willow, who   
bravely held the crucifix in front of her as she approached the flock. Jared   
used this distraction to pick up his sword, and thrust it through the heart   
of the nearest vampire. Giles approached from behind and dealt with another.  
  
Karakos watched with disappointment as his coterie was slowly slayed by the   
mortals. He shook his head and narrowed his eyes, scanning the battlefield.   
A small grin crept unto his weathered face.  
  
Xander crawled out of danger and leaned against a tree. The attack had   
shaken him, but he would survive. He put his hand against his forehead and   
realized his was bleeding. He glanced to his right and discovered that Buffy   
was still fending off another vampire. He slowly got up and headed towards   
her, but was pulled backwards by a hand that tightly gripped his shoulder.  
  
"Hello, boy," Karakos turned Xander roughly around and gave him an   
unpleasant smile. "You look like you could use some company."  
  
Although inwardly petrified with fear, Xander managed to reply. "Nah. You…   
don't have to."  
  
"Oh, no, believe me, it's my pleasure." Karakos shifted his grip from   
Xander's shoulder to his neck. With just one hand, he lifted Xander a few   
feet above the ground. Xander tried to cry for help but he found himself   
unable to make any sound, except a pathetic choking noise.  
  
"Look here boy," Karakos commanded. Xander found himself complying and he   
stared into the vampire's eyes, which seemed to be pupil-less. The color of   
his eyes shifted from black to red to black again in a swift and almost   
endless manner. The words that escaped from Karakos' lips were icy cold. "I   
want to get to know you better."  
  
Xander felt a sharp pain inside his head, and a feeling of nausea overcame   
him. He felt his consciousness slipping away, and then suddenly he found   
himself falling to the ground, and that Karakos' hand was no longer around   
his neck. He looked up in time to see Buffy attacking Karakos, before he   
fell unconscious.  
  
"You're mine," said Buffy as she punched Karakos in the face.  
  
Karakos staggered backwards and held his cheek where Buffy had punched him.   
He stared at her and laughed wickedly. "You have no idea how wrong you are,   
my dear."  
  
"Whatever it is," said Buffy, "You're going down. Tonight."  
  
"On the contrary," Karakos replied, "I'll be here for a long, long time."  
  
Buffy ran towards him and lashed out her stake. Karakos parried her blows   
and sidestepped her. With one swift movement he stepped behind Buffy and   
pushed her to the ground.  
  
"Do you honestly think you can destroy me?" Karakos asked menacingly as he   
towered above her. "I am undead. I am eternal. I will watch the rise and   
fall of thousands of civilizations, while you, my sweet child, will not live   
to see another sunrise. "  
  
"I don't think so." Buffy said as she rolled to the side and got up.   
"You're going to be dust, and I'm going to be the one who makes sure that   
happens."  
  
"It's not that simple." Karakos leered at her.  
  
Buffy stopped for a split second to look into his eyes, a swirling black and   
red sea of madness and insanity. She shook her head and charged at Karakos.   
She lashed out several punches which he blocked easily, but in a surprise   
move, she raised her foot high and kicked his head with such force that he   
crumpled to the ground. She fell on him and pressed the stake to his chest.  
  
"I'm sorry. But it is." Before he could respond, she shoved the stake   
straight down through his chest, and watched as he exploded into dust. She   
stood up and dusted her clothes, and watched as Jared finished off the last   
remaining vampire.  
  
She shifted her gaze and realized that Xander was lying on the floor. She   
rushed to him and knelt down beside him, putting his head on her lap. Giles   
, Willow and Jared were soon by her side.  
  
"Is he all right?" Willow asked, her voice quivering with concern.  
  
"I don't know," replied Buffy honestly, "Karakos … must have hurt him pretty   
bad."  
  
As if to prove otherwise, Xander slowly opened his eyes and looked at them.   
"H.. hey."  
  
"Thank God you're all right," said Buffy. Willow and Giles sighed in relief.  
  
"I'm fine," said Xander, slowly sitting up. He touched the wound on his   
forehead and winced. "Just a little dizzy that's all. Nothing three hundred   
aspirins can't cure."  
  
"Are you sure you're fine?" asked Giles.  
  
"Absolutely. Never felt better." Xander slowly stood up to demonstrate his   
point. He wobbled a little, but after the first few minutes he regained his   
balance. "See."  
  
"That's great," said Jared unenthusiastically. "Guess my job's done. Be   
heading back now."  
  
He didn't wait for their reply, and just simply walked away.  
  
"Now, * that's * love," said Xander bitterly.  
  
"Xander, we really should get a look at that wound," said Giles as he stared   
at Xander's forehead.  
  
"Nah, it's okay," said Xander, taking a step back. "I'll just head home and   
bandage it myself."  
  
"We could…" Willow began.  
  
"I'm not a baby," said Xander defensively, "I can take care of myself. Thank   
you."  
  
"Okay," said Willow uncomfortably.  
  
"Thank you," repeated Xander. He looked over at them and then put his hands   
in his pockets. "I guess I'm calling it a night. See you tomorrow." He gave   
them a lame salute and walked off, leaving the three of them.  
  
* * *  
  
Xander cursed as the key didn't turn as it should. He kicked the door and   
then withdrew the key. He took in a deep breath and jammed the key into the   
lock again. This time it worked. He pushed open the door and stepped inside.  
  
"Where have you been?" asked Spike. He noticed the gash on Xander's   
forehead. "Don't tell me you got attacked by vampires after I left, because   
I waited for bloody hours to get some bloody action."  
  
"Stuff it , Spike," said Xander bluntly and brushed past the vampire.  
  
"That was bloody rude," commented Spike, turning around to face Xander.  
  
"Bite me." Xander snapped. "Oh , wait. You can't."  
  
He turned around swiftly and walked into the bathroom, slamming the door   
behind him.  
  
Spike stared blankly after him.  
  
- - - 


	12. Twelve

TWELVE  
  
"Someone's hungry today," Buffy noted as she watched her friend gulp down   
his second plate of food.  
  
"I'm growing," said Xander with a gleam in his eye, "In more ways than you   
can possibly imagine."  
  
"Well, I tend not to imagine too much," said Buffy as she took a sip from   
her glass.  
  
"I think a healthy imagination is a good thing," chirped in Willow, who   
suddenly realized that she was left out of their entire conversation   
throughout lunch.  
  
"Yeah," said Xander without much interest in what Willow had to say. He   
turned to Buffy. "So, what are you doing tonight?"  
  
"I know what I'm doing," said Willow, "I'm gonna stay at home the whole   
night and watch reruns of bad TV shows."  
  
"Cool," replied Xander monotonously without shifting his gaze from Buffy.   
Willow gave him a rude look. "What 'bout you, Buff?"  
  
"I dunno," the slayer answered, "The usual. I guess. Patrol, slay, sleep."  
  
"That's interesting," said Xander. He moved closer to her and gave her neck   
a tiny sniff. "Are you wearing a new perfume?"  
  
"No," said Buffy, "It's the same one. It's called Passion."  
  
"Ha,ha!" laughed Willow. "Passion. What a funny name."  
  
Her two friends gave her a puzzled look.  
  
Xander went back to ignoring Willow and focused his full attention on Buffy.   
"I like it. Sorts of turns me on."  
  
Buffy raised an eyebrow. "And the salesgirl told me it would repel all   
men."  
  
Xander moved even closer towards her. "Well, I'm not all men."  
  
"That's true," said Buffy as she inched back slowly, feeling slightly   
uncomfortable. "You're a very, dear friend." She stressed the last word more   
than she needed to.  
  
Her dark-haired friend stared longingly at her and unconsciously licked his   
lips. "Aha. What say you and I head back to my place after this? Nothing   
wrong with a little friendly, casual…"  
  
"God, Xander!" exclaimed Buffy. "Did you wake up on the horny side of the   
bed today?"  
  
"Come on, Buffy," said Xander, not the least bit hindered by Buffy's   
exclamation. "You can't expect to wear something called 'Passion' and expect   
the men around you not to feel … passionate."  
  
"I knew I should have worn 'Cold Shower' today."  
  
"I like showers," he replied, "Especially with a partner."  
  
"Xander!" Buffy nearly yelled. "What is wrong with you today?"  
  
"Nothing," said Xander. "What makes you think there's something wrong with   
me?"  
  
"Well, for one, you're acting all Cassanova-ish. Badly. What's that about?"  
  
"Can't I try something new once in a while?"  
  
Willow watched with both interest and concern at the exchange between her   
two best friends. She opted that the silence approach would be the best one   
at the moment ; there was a better chance of them settling it by themselves   
without her interference.  
  
Xander pushed his chair back and stood up. "This conversation bores me. I'm   
leaving."  
  
"Xander…"  
  
He ignored her and walked straight out.  
  
* * *  
  
Spike watched the clock from where he was sitting. It was not like Xander   
to disappear for so many hours without his other pathetic Scooby friends. He   
was about to call Buffy just to voice his totally unworried and unconcerned   
thoughts when he heard giggling outside the door.  
  
The vampire stood up and flung the door open.  
  
And there was Xander, with his arms wrapped around two obviously drunk   
blonde girls. All three were giggling uncontrollably.  
  
"What the bloody…" Spike began.  
  
"Ah! Spike!" said Xander almost happily. He seemed sober. He motioned to   
his two companions. "Meet … Candy… and… and… some other chick."  
  
"Hello, Spike!" the two girls cheerfully greeted the vampire.  
  
"Show me why they call you Spike," begged the one who was apparently called   
Candy. "Puh-lease…"  
  
"Xander!" Spike was obviously annoyed. "Care to tell me what the bloody   
hell is going on here?"  
  
Xander walked in casually with the two girls. "I ran into Candy at the bar…   
and Other Chick was there too."  
  
"Hello, Spike!" exclaimed Other Chick.  
  
Spike ignored her. He turned back to Xander. "What are you bloody doing?"  
  
"Making new friends," said Xander calmly. He addressed his two companions.   
"Come on girls, let me show you my bedroom."  
  
"Oooh!"  
  
"Xander, I was bloody talking to y…"  
  
"Nah-ah-uh," said Xander wiggling his finger at the vampire. "If you don't   
act nice, I won't share."  
  
"Amazingly enough, I'm not in the bloody mood to share."  
  
Xander fixed Spike an icy stare, his tone of voice matching his appearance.   
"Then get out of my way. Before I make you."  
  
Spike looked at Xander for a moment before stepping aside. "Fine. Do what   
you bloody well please."  
  
"Come on, girls," Xander proceeded to lead them to his room. He turned   
around and gave Spike another icy look before he entered, and closed the   
door. 


	13. Thirteen

THIRTEEN, A BAKER'S DOZEN  
  
As Buffy approached Xander's house, she noticed two unfamiliar characters   
coming from it. As they neared her, she realized that they were both blonde.   
And female. Both seemed strangely worn-out.  
  
One of them spotted Buffy staring at them. "What are you lookin' at?"  
  
"I…" Buffy tried to think of an answer and then realized that she didn't   
have to. "Who are you?"  
  
"We're friends of Xander's," said the second one, pronouncing the last word   
as if it was the latest cool trend. "Do you know him?"  
  
"Yes. I'm his friend too," said Buffy, although she had the feeling that   
Xander's friendship with them was a whole different kind.  
  
"Don't you just love the thing he does with his tongue?"  
  
"Eh?" Buffy said out loud before she could stop herself.  
  
"I shiver with delight just thinking about it!" chirped the first girl. Her   
friend nodded enthusiastically.  
  
"Thank you for that interesting piece of information," said Buffy. "Now go   
away."  
  
Both girls gave her a dirty look and sauntered off, not before one of them   
muttering 'bitch'.  
  
Buffy decided that killing them would be wrong so she let them go. She   
walked up to the door and realized that the two girls had cleverly left the   
door open. She stepped inside.  
  
"Close the door!" came a British-accented voice from inside. "Before the   
sun gets in. Those two bloody morons left it wide open."  
  
Buffy obliged, even though she wouldn't have minded Spike being toasted   
crispy. "Spike?"  
  
"Slayer. Bah," said Spike, after realizing who it was that came to visit.  
  
"I could always open the door again."  
  
"Welcome!"  
  
Buffy decided that although spending some time ribbing Spike would be a joy   
and a half, finding Xander was slightly more important. "Where's Xander?"  
  
"In his bloody room. Probably basking in his triumphant conquest of Dumb   
and Dumber," said Spike bitterly.  
"Those two?" asked Buffy in disbelief.  
  
"Hi, I'm Candy," Spike mimicked in annoyance. "I'm a bloody slut."  
  
"She's named Candy." The story was becoming more and more incredible with   
each passing detail. "What's the other one called? Twinkie?"  
  
"I don't know about that," said Spike, "They really didn't spend time out   
here. It was hello, goodbye, straight into the bloody sack."  
  
"I didn't know Xander did this kind of thing."  
  
"Well, he's been acting bloody freaky lately," said Spike.  
  
"Oh?" Buffy wasn't that surprised that Spike realized something was wrong   
as well.  
  
"Yeah, acting all snappy, and bossy and … mean," Spike answered. "I mean…   
not that it bloody matters to me. In fact, I'm happy! I'm glad he's turning   
into a bloody monster! Makes it easier for me to kill the whole lot of you!"  
  
Buffy ignored him. "He's in his room?"  
  
"Yeah." Spike waved her off and jumped back on the couch and flipped on the   
television.  
  
Buffy shook her head at Spike and walked up to Xander's room. She knocked   
on the door gently and waited for a response. "Come in."  
  
She opened the door slowly and stepped inside, closing the door behind her.   
Xander had his back towards her , and he was standing in front of his   
wardrobe, tossing selected items behind him. In front of Buffy were several   
piles of clothing. "Hi , Xander."  
  
He turned around. "Buffy."  
  
Buffy then noticed that he had changed his style of dressing. He was   
wearing a long-sleeved silk black shirt with dark black pants. He had traded   
in his big, white sneakers for a pair of stylish leather shoes with gold   
buckles. He looked good, but Buffy tried not to think of that, but more on   
the important matter at hand. She got distracted as he threw a shirt into a   
nearby pile of clothing. "What are you doing?"  
  
"I'm throwing out my entire wardrobe."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I woke and realized that I have the geekiest clothing on this side of   
Earth and decided to do something about it," He held out an orange shirt in   
front of him. "Good God, I can't believe I actually bought this." The shirt   
joined the others on the floor.  
  
"This whole radical change wouldn't have anything to do with Candy and…   
and… that other chick, now would it?"  
  
"Maybe. Or maybe I'm just sick of looking like a loser." Xander threw a   
pair of pants into another pile. He turned around and pointed at the three   
piles of clothing on the floor. "And just for fun, I've assorted them into   
three categories : Sucks, Totally Sucks, and Forgive Me Father For I Have   
Sinned."  
  
Buffy raised an eyebrow and took a step closer towards the piles. She knelt   
down and browsed through the articles of clothing in the third pile, and   
picked out a white T-shirt.  
  
"Hey!" she exclaimed, "I -bought- you this shirt!"  
  
Xander took it from her and examined it. "Oh, yeah , you're right. That   
doesn't belong here." He then tossed it into the first pile on the floor.  
  
"You told me you liked it."  
  
"Well, yeah, but I was trying to get into your pants. Didn't work, now did   
it?" Xander turned back to his wardrobe.  
  
Buffy stood up. "You know, this kind of reminds of why I came here in the   
first place."  
  
Xander turned around. "Let me guess. You're worried about me."  
  
"Gee, what gave me away?"  
  
"Listen, Buff," he said, his voice getting harder, "I don't need your worry,   
or anybody else's for that matter, so save yourself the trouble."  
  
"Xander, I'm just…"  
  
"I'm finally who I want to be," Xander said, "All my life I've been the   
loser. I've been the doormat at the entrance of the universe. Always being   
pushed aside, always being overlooked, always having to settle being the   
lame-ass of the century, always not getting what I want because I'm just the   
Zeppo."  
  
"You're not…"  
  
He didn't let her finish. "And now I'm finally taking control of things,   
being my own man. Being who I was supposed to be."  
  
Xander walked up to her slowly. "And I think this time, I'm going to get   
what I want."  
  
With those words, he grabbed her by the wrists and shoved her unto his bed.  
  
--- 


	14. Fourteen

FOURTEEN  
  
Xander pinned Buffy on the bed as he slowly climbed on top of her and   
straddled her. "You know, you really only have yourself to blame for this."  
  
Buffy, still reeling from the shock, somehow managed a weak reply: "And   
how's that?"  
  
"Well, for one thing, things would have been much more nicer if you did   
this voluntarily," Xander said, his voice rougher than usual, "But I don't   
mind this. Really."  
  
Buffy tried to break free from Xander's hold, but to her great surprise she   
was unable to move him even an inch. She tried again and failed. Xander   
noticed this and laughed. "Surprised? Looks like weak, pathetic old Xander   
isn't so weak after all."  
  
"H..how?"  
  
Xander tilted his head and examined her closely. "You'd be amazed what a   
brand spanking new personality can do to a person's physique."  
  
He raised her hands above her head and held them fast with his left hand.   
Buffy struggled again to free herself , but Xander was still surprisingly   
stronger than her, even with just one hand. With his free hand, Xander ran   
his fingers through her long, soft blonde hair, and twirled a few strands   
around his fingers. He brought his face close to hers, closed his eyes and   
took in a deep breath. "You smell great."  
  
Buffy didn't answer him.  
  
He brought his hand to the side of her face and stroked it gently. Buffy   
turned her face away from him, but that didn't bother him in the least. He   
nibbled softly on her ear for a few seconds and then whispered to her. "I've   
waited so long for this moment."  
  
Buffy closed her eyes in disgust and tried to look away from him again.  
  
Xander took hold of her face and forced her to look at him. "Don't be so   
sour," he said, "It's no fun when you're bitter."  
  
"Good."  
  
Xander ignored her and pressed his lips against her neck. Buffy took in a   
sharp breath as he did this, which only seemed to excite him more. He kissed   
her passionately, sucking her flesh eagerly, moving his lips slowly from her   
neck to her chin. He stopped for a moment and then kissed her on the lips.   
Buffy futilely tried to resist.  
  
"You taste much better than I imagined," said Xander, licking his lips in   
satisfaction. "And I've done more than my fair share of imagining."  
  
"You're sick," Buffy spat out and fought to release herself, failing once   
more.  
  
Xander laughed at her attempts. He held her wrists down harder. "When are   
you going to realize that you're not going anywhere anytime soon?"  
  
He shifted himself to a more comfortable position and traced his hand along   
her sides, enjoying every moment, and feeling every contour of her body.  
  
"You know, this is how I always imagined us," He paused. "Well, you were on   
top, but I'm willing to compromise."  
  
His right hand trailed down from her face to her neck and to her chest. He   
played with the buttons on her blouse for a moment before undoing the top   
one. Once he was finished, he did the same to the rest of the buttons, and   
then parted her blouse, biting his lip in anticipation. "Let's see what   
you've been hiding from your good friend Xander."  
  
Buffy struggled fiercely as he ran his fingers down her chest, across her   
breasts and along her stomach. He slipped his fingers beneath the strap of   
her bra.  
  
"Xander, don't…"  
  
Xander stopped for a moment, and stared at her. Buffy swore she could see   
the Xander she once knew for an instant, but this hope was soon dashed as he   
answered in his new-found rough tone. "And who's going to stop me? You?"  
  
"Xander…"  
  
"Shut up!" He almost yelled. "I'm so sick of taking crap from you and   
everybody else! All I've been is the poor, incredible loser. Your   
Xander-shaped LOSER." He spat out the words with such bitterness and hatred   
that Buffy felt a twinge of sadness, and pity, inside of her.  
  
"You're not a…"  
  
"Save it," said Xander, as he placed his hand on her right breast, "You and   
I both know you're just a big fat liar. You treat me like a slave, and then   
you expect me to believe a single word you say when you tell me I'm not a   
loser."  
  
"This isn't like you, Xander," Buffy said, her voice quavering, "This isn't   
you."  
  
"Who the hell are you to tell me who I am?" Xander's voice grew louder,   
"All I am to you is your poor puppy-dog-slave-errand-boy. The only time you   
noticed I was there was when you needed somebody, and there was nobody else   
around."  
  
"That's not true!" Buffy cried defensively.  
  
"It's true as hell and you know it," Xander's voice was somehow softer this   
time, "Tell me one time you were there when I needed you. One time."  
  
Buffy paused and took a deep breath. "I…"  
  
"I thought so too," His voice was almost a whisper now. He kissed her neck   
one more time. "But it's all right. We can fix that."  
  
"Xander, don't." Buffy tried once again to break free, but that only made   
Xander tighten his grip.  
  
He sucked her neck for a long time before he shifted his attention lower   
down. He looked longingly at her and kissed her along her shoulder,   
following her bra strap. "You know, I think I'm gonna be the only person in   
the world who's had two slayers. I'm gonna go down in history. Pardon the   
pun."  
  
"Xander, please."  
  
"Oh, for God's sakes, stop with the talking. You think I'm going do   
whatever you say?" He leaned close to her face, and for the first time,   
Buffy had a clear look at his eyes. Once sweet, deep, and brown, they now   
seemed like a swirling sea of red of black… and a wave of recognition swept   
across Buffy's face. A chill ran down her spine as she heard his next few   
words. "It's not that simple."  
  
He slid his free hand under her back and fiddled with the hook of her bra.   
It took him a while but he finally undid it. He slid one strap down her   
shoulder and slowly moved to the other side.  
  
He stopped when Buffy spoke. "I didn't want to do this Xander, but you've   
made it absolutely necessary. I going to have to hurt you now. Bad."  
  
"Go on," Xander challenged her. "I like it rough." He put his hand on her   
other shoulder and slowly began to slide the strap down.  
  
"Okay."  
  
Buffy raised her feet and kicked him hard. The shock of the blow caused him   
to release his grip on her, and he staggered backwards, falling of the bed.   
Buffy jumped up quickly and climbed off the bed. Xander slowly got up,   
shaking his head.  
  
He swung his fist wildly at Buffy, but she dodged it and managed to land a   
few punches of her own. Buffy swiftly kneed him in the crotch, sending him   
crashing to the floor with a painful moan.  
  
She stood over him. "Sorry, Xander, but this is for your own good."  
  
Xander stared at her with icy hatred. "Bitc-"  
  
Buffy's fist connected with his jaw and Xander crumpled into   
unconsciousness.  
  
--- 


	15. Fifteen

FIFTEEN  
  
Buffy poked her head into the hallway and spotted Spike, still watching   
television. She called out to him. "Spike!"  
  
The vampire muted the television and turned around. "What now?"  
  
Buffy stepped out. "I kinda need some help. Xander's unconscious."  
  
Spike raised his eyebrows and eyed her carefully. "Hah, your slayer   
strength too much for the bloke? Bloody mortals, they black out at the   
slightest feeling of exhaustion. Now, vampires, we're known for our   
stamina."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Don't tell me you did that," Spike motioned at her, "Just because you were   
feeling hot."  
  
Buffy looked down and realized that her blouse was still unbuttoned all the   
way. She gasped and held her blouse together tightly.  
  
"Now you've bloody ruined the free show."  
  
"Spike!" warned Buffy. "This is serious. Xander's … he's not the same. He …   
attacked me."  
  
"Hmph," mused Spike, "Figures that the only time the wank took some   
aggressive action is when he's bloody loony."  
  
"You're not being very helpful, Spike."  
  
"I'm sorry. Am I supposed to be?" Spike said. "When are you going to   
realize that your pain is my ultimate joy."  
  
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Whatever. I don't know how long he's going to be   
out and I don't want him running around … in that state."  
  
Spike pondered about helping her for a few seconds. "He keeps a pair of   
handcuffs in the drawer by his bed."  
  
Buffy nodded. "Thanks, Spike, I'll… Why does he… never mind. I think I'll   
be a much happier person if I never , ever find out why he has a pair of   
handcuffs … or why you know where they are."  
  
"Bugger off."  
  
Buffy motioned towards Xander's room with her thumb. "Could you? I'd   
better call Giles."  
  
Spike gave her a look. "Why should I?"  
  
"Well, you could pretend you just beat him up and are now cuffing him for   
later torture."  
  
Spike gave this a thought and then pushed himself out of the chair   
reluctantly. He waved a finger at her. "I'm not doing this for you, you   
hear. Because I don't like you."  
  
"I hear." She began buttoning her blouse back, and gave Spike a small   
smile. "Thanks."  
  
"You're wel..Bah." Spike waved her off and went into Xander's room.  
  
* * *  
  
"… and then he jumped me like some horny bat out of hell," concluded Buffy.  
  
"He had horns?" asked Giles.  
  
Buffy gave him a look. "No. And he could pin me down… with one hand."  
  
Giles wrinkled his forehead in thought. "It has been known for.. for … a   
possessed individual to suddenly acquire … extraordinary strength. That   
would explain Xander's … ability to overcome your Slayer strength."  
  
"You know what this reminds me of?" Willow interjected. "The time he got   
possessed by the hyena. Remember that, Buffy?"  
  
"Yeah," said Buffy, "That was my very personal introduction to the world of   
sexual harassment. Ooh. Déjà vu."  
  
"It can't be the hyena again, can it?" asked Willow.  
  
"Well," Giles thought about this for a moment, "It is possible for… a   
previous possession to resurface after remaining dormant for many years, but   
this is almost unheard of, and I somehow doubt this is the case with   
Xander."  
  
Buffy paused and stared blankly ahead. "It's not. It's Karakos."  
  
"Erm , Buff…" Willow said after an awkward moment of silence. "You killed   
him. Remember?"  
  
"Yeah, I know. I was there," said Buffy. "But… Xander… he said the exact   
same thing Karakos said to me before I killed him. I swear…"  
  
Giles took a deep breath. "I suppose… Karakos would have had this sort of   
ability, considering that he is after all a Seer… We should take this up to   
Marcus."  
  
Spike stormed into the living room, holding the tranquilizer gun. "I can   
shoot him, right?"  
  
"I would prefer you didn't," replied Giles.  
  
"He just called me Billy Idol."  
  
"I'll take care of this," said Buffy, walking past Spike and heading to   
Xander's room.  
  
Willow held on to her hand, and Buffy turned back. "Are you sure you want   
to, Buff?"  
  
Buffy smiled. "I'll be all right."  
  
* * *  
  
Xander tugged at his handcuffs for the thousandth time, but even with his   
newfound strength he was unable to break free. He was handcuffed to the   
window grill of his bedroom and he was beginning to feel really annoyed. And   
not to mention uncomfortable. The door creaked open and he stretched out his   
neck to see who it was. Buffy entered and leaned against the door frame.  
  
"Had second thoughts, did you? Suddenly realized you need a bit of Xander   
Lovin'?" Xander asked. He tugged at his handcuffs. "I didn't know you were   
into kinky sex."  
  
"I could say the same about you," said Buffy calmly.  
  
"Look, Buff Buff Buffy Buff Buff," Xander went in a chirpy (almost   
demented) tone, "We're old pals right? Why don't you just let me out of   
these ridiculous things and we'll just forget about the whole thing."  
  
"Sorry, Xand Xand Xander Xand Xand," replied Buffy in the same style. "The   
cuffs stay on."  
  
"Is this how you treat your friends?"  
  
"Only friends that try to jump me."  
  
"Oh, you're still upset about -that- tiny incident."  
  
Buffy stood up straight and took a few steps towards him. She looked down   
into his eyes. "Why don't you just drop the charade? I know you're in   
there."  
  
"I have no idea what you're talking about."  
  
"I think you do, Karakos."  
  
Xander tilted his head at the mention of the name. His voice was suddenly   
deeper as he spoke. "And how long did it take you to figure that one out,   
Slayer?"  
  
"Oh, not too long." Buffy ran her fingers through her hair. "And now, I'd   
like you to get out."  
  
"Can you make me?" Xander asked, laughing almost hysterically. He pointed   
at himself. "We've grown so close recently. It'll be a shame to separate us.   
In fact, I think you can't."  
  
"Really." Buffy's voice grew to a faint whisper.  
  
"His mind is so delicious. Or is it my mind now? Or is it ours? God, I love   
the insanity. Don't you?" Xander giggled and then licked his lips. "Yummy."  
  
"Get out of him," Buffy said, her voice still hushed.  
  
"You know what's the icing on the cake? You." He shifted positions and then   
leaned against the wall, even though his restraints prevented him from   
feeling comfortable. "You run through his mind like blood through his veins.   
Which will make it even more the sweeter when I devour his mind… bit by   
bit."  
  
Buffy's breathing grew faster and she took a step back, genuinely afraid of   
what her friend had become. "I'll stop you."  
  
"That's what you say," Xander sneered. "But it's not what you know. When   
I'm done with your little friend, he'll be nothing but a vegetable. And then   
you'd wish I killed him right at the beginning."  
  
"No."  
  
"Or maybe not," Xander smacked his lips at her. "I'm kind of attached to   
this… vessel. Maybe we'll have some fun yet."  
  
"Stop it."  
  
"Buffy, oh, Buffy, help me," Xander pleaded to her, suddenly reverting back   
to his normal voice. "Saveeeee me."  
  
"Stop it." Buffy repeated but felt that her words were weak and bore no   
meaning at all.  
  
Xander shook his head and stared menacingly at Buffy. "The poor, poor boy.   
He could have been somebody."  
  
"He is somebody."  
  
"Really? I didn't know you noticed." Xander bit his lower lip. "What a   
waste, hanging around you all these years. Waiting, wishing, wanting,   
dreaming, hoping, praying, for the teeniest bit of attention from you. It   
really is quite sad."  
  
"Shut up," Buffy demanded, her voice rising without warning. "I'm warning   
you."  
  
"This really is all for the better," Xander turned away from her for a   
moment and then swung his head back to face her. "I have actually saved him   
from a lifetime of wasted chances. A lifetime of disappointment, disgrace,   
despair and desperation. And it's not like you've helped much."  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
Xander ignored her. "Such a fool…"  
  
Buffy marched up to him and punched him, hard. His head swung back and   
struck the wall, and once again Alexander Harris embraced unconsciousness.  
  
- - - 


	16. Sixteen

PART SIXTEEN  
  
  
Buffy walked quickly the stairs, her hand gripping the railing tightly. She   
turned the corner and bumped into Jared, who was carrying a large bag. The   
collision sent him tumbling backwards. However, he was soon back on his   
feet, and he grumbled as he picked up his bag.  
  
"Jared!" exclaimed Buffy.  
  
"Buffy," he answered. He slung the bag over his shoulder and looked at her.   
"What are you doing here?"  
  
"You have to help us," Buffy said , her words coming out in a flurry,   
"Xander … he's not well… Karakos did something… he's inside him, he's in his   
mind and he won't …. I don't know how to stop him."  
"Whoa, slow down," said Jared, putting his hand on her shoulder. "Nothing I   
can do there."  
  
"What?"  
  
"This is out of my field," explained Jared. "And even if it were, I've got   
a plane to catch."  
  
"What?" repeated Buffy. She couldn't believe her ears.  
  
"Some head honcho in Paris wants me to take care of a little demon   
infestation they've got over there," Jared answered coolly. "My flight's   
tonight."  
  
"But… Xander … he's in trouble…"  
  
"Yeah, I know, you told me." Jared couldn't seem less interested. "Look.   
I've done my job here. As far as I'm concerned, Karakos is dust. And that   
means I don't have to be here anymore."  
  
"I slayed Karakos. Not you."  
  
"Yeah. Either way, my contract expires on the death of Karakos," said   
Jared. "And, well, he's pretty much dead."  
  
"So you won't help us."  
  
"Sorry, babe," said Jared, "But the demons need hunting and I need the   
cash. And frankly, I don't think this job will pay much."  
  
"I thought we were your friends."  
  
"I don't have friends."  
  
"I'm beginning to see why."  
  
Jared ignored her and walked past her towards the stairs.  
  
"Xander was right," she called out after him. "You *are* an ass."  
  
Jared turned around. "Excuse me?"  
  
"You know, money isn't everything," said Buffy. "And if you can't see that,   
I'm sorry for you."  
  
"No, it's you who can't see something, and it's the fact that helping   
others because you're 'friends' doesn't pay the bills or put food on your   
plate. It doesn't do crap."  
  
"That's not true."  
  
"It is to me," said Jared. "I never need friends, and I sure as hell don't   
need any now."  
  
"I don't believe you."  
  
"Well, that's fine with me, cause I really don't care." Jared turned back   
and headed down the stairs, leaving Buffy alone in the hallway.  
  
She stood there for a while, and then remembered the real reason why she   
was here. She ran down the hall and knocked on the door hurriedly. "Marcus!"  
  
It took a while, but Marcus finally answered the door. "Buffy?" He asked.  
  
"Yeah, it's me, Marcus," said Buffy. "Can I come in?"  
  
"Certainly," said Marcus, unsure of what was going on. He stepped aside to   
let her pass. He closed the door behind her. "What brings you here?"  
  
Buffy went straight to the point. "Karakos is inside Xander. How do I get   
him out?"  
  
"Karakos?" Marcus was a bit taken aback.  
  
Buffy took a deep breath and explained everything in detail to Marcus.   
Marcus nodded here and there as Buffy filled him in. "Can you help us get   
him out?"  
  
"I'm not sure," replied Marcus unconfidently. "You see… because of our   
extraordinary gifts, an exorcism of any sort will be hard to perform on an   
individual possessed by a Seer, and I'm afraid Karakos is clear of this   
fact."  
  
"Can't you do anything?" Buffy pleaded desperately.  
  
"There is something," said Marcus after a while. "But I'm not sure if it'll   
help. Take me to him."  
  
* * *  
  
"It involves sending an individual into the recesses of the 'host's' mind…   
or in this case… Xander." explained Marcus once he was in Xander's bedroom.   
He was standing next to the unconscious Xander. "With hope, from the inside   
this person will be able to allow Xander to regain control of his own mind   
and release himself from Karakos' possession."  
  
"Is it dangerous?" asked Giles.  
  
"To an extent. The human mind extremely complex… without proper guidance,   
the person could easily lose himself or herself without any chance of   
getting out. This is why it is important for us to send someone who is close   
to Xander, who understands his mind better than anyone else."  
  
"I'll go," said Willow.  
  
"No," said Buffy. "I don't want you to get hurt. I'm the Slayer, I have to   
go. Besides… if Karakos is lurking somewhere in his mind, I don't want you   
to be there."  
  
"Are you sure, Buffy?" Marcus asked.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I have to warn you," he began, "You will have absolutely no control over   
which parts of his mind you find yourself in. And in some situations,   
interaction with your surroundings may be limited to a certain extent … even   
barred at some points."  
  
"Okay…" said Buffy, taking it all in.  
  
"You must find some way to reach Xander's present state of mind," said   
Marcus, "Involving yourself into his past, or his memories will be a waste   
of effort. From there, try to free him from Karakos' hold, and be careful.   
This is Karakos' domain, and he will be even more powerful than when you   
first encountered him. Are you ready?"  
  
"Yes," said Buffy firmly. "Send me in."  
  
"Close your eyes."  
  
Buffy obliged. Marcus reached out and placed his right palm on her   
forehead, and the other on Xander's forehead. He muttered some   
incomprehensible words and chants, and then removed his hands. As he did   
this, Buffy felt her consciousness drift from her and she collapsed to the   
floor. 


	17. Seventeen

SEVENTEEN  
  
Buffy opened her eyes and discovered that she was no longer in familiar   
territory.  
  
And that she was no longer wearing clothes.  
  
She found herself on a large king sized bed, under the covers and between   
the soft, comfortable silk sheets. She pulled the covers further up her body   
and shivered nervously. She looked around the room she was in.  
  
It was quite large and spacious, its walls splashed pink and red. At one   
corner of the room was a red door with a gold doorknob. Buffy looked down   
and realized that red must have been the motif of the room, because even the   
sheets and covers of the bed were a dark hue of magenta.  
  
She looked up and realized that there was a revolving disco globe hovering   
above her, but it didn't seem to be working. Yet. A long mirror replaced   
what would have been the ceiling, and Buffy realized that somehow her blonde   
hair had been highlighted with streaks of red and auburn. She pushed the   
hair from her face and wondered how much weirder things were going to be.  
  
She soon found out.  
  
Without warning, blaring music poured into the room out of nowhere. After   
she recovered from the initial shock, she discovered that it was a very   
interesting rendition of the James Bond theme. A slight movement made her   
turn to her side and notice that that the doorknob was slowly turning.  
  
As she prepared for the worse, the music came to a sudden halt and the door   
swung open. In strode Xander, clad in a tuxedo, with a rose between his   
teeth.  
  
Great, thought Buffy. Her grip on the covers tightened and dreaded to   
wonder what was going to happen next.  
  
Xander walked up to her and took the rose from her teeth, and handed it   
over to her, bowing with one hand behind his back like a gentleman. Buffy   
didn't do much except raise her eyebrows. Xander looked somewhat confused   
and put the rose on the side table beside the bed.  
  
He jumped onto the bed beside her and turned to face her. "The name's   
Harris. Alexander Harris."  
  
Buffy sighed. "I know. You kinda left out the Lavelle."  
  
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Xander shifted uncomfortably.  
"Well, I do, but I have no idea where I am."  
  
"You're in my swingin' bachelor pad," explained Xander helpfully. He   
smoothened out the sheets on his side.  
  
"That's nice," said Buffy without much thought. She looked at him and then   
down at herself. "Kinda naked here."  
  
"That's the whole point, isn't it."  
  
"No, I don't think so."  
  
Xander spoke through gritted teeth. "You're sort of ruining the fantasy   
here, Buff."  
  
"Oh! OH!" exclaimed Buffy. "So that's where I am. That would explain the   
mirrored ceiling and that James Bond thing. And my sudden lack of clothes."  
  
"You're not supposed to talk so much," said Xander, rather disappointedly.  
  
"What else am I supposed to do?"  
  
"Help me achieve eternal bliss through copulation," stated Xander simply.  
  
Buffy gave him a look and decided it would be best to ignore that comment.   
"Could you help me get some clothes?"  
  
"No," whined Xander. "This isn't how it goes."  
  
"Sorry, Xand, but right now I'm not really into conforming to rules." She   
stopped and asked again. "Could you get me some clothes?"  
  
Xander gave another frustrated whine and got up. "Fine."  
  
He walked across the room to a closet. Buffy wondered why she never saw it   
before, and then realized that it probably wasn't even -there- before. He   
swung open the closet doors and rummaged through. "What do you want?"  
  
"Oh, just the usual." She paused and then added: "Nothing revealing."  
  
She thought she heard Xander whine again but decided not to pay any   
attention to him.  
  
Xander came back carrying a pink shirt and a long red skirt. "Will these   
do?"  
  
"Yeah, thanks." Buffy took them with one hand and then stared at him and   
waited.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Could you, you know… turn around?"  
  
"Should have known I wouldn't be able to watch," grumbled Xander as he   
turned around reluctantly.  
  
Buffy smiled to herself and put on the clothing hurriedly.  
  
"I'm such a loser," continued Xander. "Can't even get laid in my own   
fantasy."  
  
  
Buffy looked at him. "That's only because I'm here. You know, in your mind…   
never mind, long story…. But if I weren't, I'd so be having sex with you by   
now. I mean, not me-me, but you know, fantasy me and…"  
  
"Yeah, yeah," said Xander. "Can I turn around now?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
Xander turned around and examined her. "You look good even with clothes   
on."  
  
"Thanks," said Buffy, deciding to take it as a compliment. "Now, I don't   
suppose you could tell me how to get to your present state of mind?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Right," nodded Buffy. "You can't think straight in fantasy world. The   
blood's all flowing the wrong direction. Forgot about that."  
  
"Hey!" protested Xander. "I take insult to that."  
  
"Sorry," said Buffy with a smile. "But if you don't mind, I actually have   
to get going. Saving your life and everything. Just shelf that under 'long   
story'."  
  
She pointed to the door. "Where does that go?"  
  
"Everywhere," said Xander, not very helpfully.  
  
"Okay." Buffy took a deep breath. "Goodbye then. For now."  
  
"Bye," said Xander grumpily as he fell back on the bed and hugged the   
heart-shaped pillow sadly.  
  
Buffy felt compelled to say something, but didn't. She gave him one last   
look and opened the door.  
  
* * *  
  
Buffy found herself looking down at the waves splashing against the shore.   
From where she was standing, she estimated that she was at least up ten   
stories high. Maybe more. She turned away from the large window. She   
couldn't remember walking into this room, but some how she did. She couldn't   
remember changing her clothes either, but that happened too.  
  
She looked down on herself and noticed that she was wearing a revealing,   
silver nightgown. She sighed.  
  
Better than being naked, she said to herself.  
  
She examined her surroundings and thought it looked like a very nice, posh   
hotel room. There was a nice, large bed in the middle of the room, and the   
walls were decorated with interesting modern-art pieces. She walked to the   
mirror nearby and noticed that the highlights in her hair had changed from   
red to silver. She touched her hair unbelievingly.  
  
She looked around again and walked back to the window, taking another look   
at the beautiful ocean. She heard the sound of a door creaking and she   
turned back, and spotted Xander coming in, this time garbed in a gray   
bathrobe.  
  
"Hey, honey," he went.  
  
"It's Buffy. I know it kind of sounds the same, but you'll get the hang of   
it."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Never mind." Buffy sighed. "My day keeps getting better, and better."  
  
"Maybe some wine will help," said Xander as he walked over to the mini bar   
and poured them two glasses of wine. He offered a glass to her.  
  
Buffy shook her head. "There is no way I'm getting drunk while I'm... here.   
No offence."  
  
Xander just looked confused. "None taken."  
  
She turned and look at him. "I know this is a long shot, but you're not   
your present state of mind, are you?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
She sighed. "You're all the same."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Nothing," said Buffy, absent-mindedly putting her palm against the glass.  
  
Xander walked up to her and whispered into her ear. "You have a great   
body."  
  
"How would you know?" asked Buffy.  
  
"In the right lighting, that nightgown is completely see-through."  
  
"Oh… OH!" Buffy screamed and hugged herself for cover. "Bad! Bad!"  
  
"Come on, honey," pleaded Xander, "It's our wedding night."  
  
"It is?" Buffy's words seem reduced to a faint whisper. It was then she   
suddenly realized the ring on her finger, and she ran her fingers over it,   
feeling it. She looked at it and said nothing, putting her hand back down.  
  
"Yeah," murmured Xander softly into her ear.  
  
Strangely enough, Buffy did not protest, but instead asked him another   
question. "Was… it nice? The ceremony?"  
  
"Of course," He ran his hands along the sides of her body, but again she   
made no sign of resistance. "We had it in the open, with the flowers and the   
orchestra… don't you remember?"  
  
"No," said Buffy, and she somehow felt sad that she didn't. She had no idea   
that Xander… had thought about their marriage in such great detail. She felt   
a twinge of regret that all she thought he had in his mind were X rated   
fantasies. In a way it was kind of sweet, kind of flattering that he…  
  
Buffy shook her head and told herself to stop thinking so much.  
  
Xander planted a soft kiss on her neck and whispered suggestively. "Shall   
we?" He motioned towards the bed.  
There was a little part of Buffy's mind which she kept shut out most of the   
time. It was this part of her mind which sometimes wondered what her   
Xander-shaped friend looked like naked, or how good he was in bed. It was   
this part that spoke to her right now, and try as hard as she could she   
could not ignore it.  
  
You know, it told her, here's your chance to find out how good he really is   
in the sack. No one could possibly find out, and he'll probably just think   
it was another one of his fantasies…  
  
Buffy seriously played around with the option until the sensible,   
practical, dominant part of her mind took over and reminded her of the more   
important things at hand.  
  
She broke away from Xander. "No… I can't."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"I… I have… something to do," said Buffy, wondering why she was stammering.   
She walked towards the door. "I… I… Sorry."  
  
Xander stared blankly at her as she left. 


	18. Eighteen

EIGHTEEN  
  
Buffy found herself kneeling on the ground, and that she was once again in   
some place totally different. She got up and brushed the grass and dirt of   
her dress, and then realized she was wearing something different again. This   
time she was wearing a black, sleeveless dress with small white flowers   
embroidered into the fabric. She put her hands on her hips and looked   
around.  
  
"I know this place," she mumbled to herself. "Sunnydale High."  
  
She watched as students mingled around, looking around for any sign of   
Xander. She was outside the school, near the staircase. After a few minutes   
of searching, she spotted Xander sitting on a bench a few feet away, talking   
to a blonde girl.  
  
Buffy waved and called out to Xander, but he didn't seem to notice her,   
even though she was yelling at the top of her lungs. It was then she noticed   
that nobody *else* was paying attention to her.  
  
This must be what Marcus told me about, she thought, Invisible girl   
complex.  
  
She refocused her attention on Xander and the girl he was talking to. She   
looked kind of familiar. And so did that outfit she was wearing.  
  
Buffy's eyes widened with shock as she realized who that girl was, and what   
was going to happen.  
  
"Oh, man." She cursed out loud.  
  
She walked up to the bench they were sitting at and took a seat beside   
Xander. Naturally, he didn't notice her. Buffy looked straight across and   
came face to face with herself, many years younger.  
  
"Um... You know, Buffy, uh…" She watched Xander stammer through his speech.   
"…spring Fling is a... time for students to gather and... Oh, God! Buffy, I   
want you to go to the dance with me. You and me, on a date."  
  
I so don't want to watch this again, thought Buffy sadly.  
  
"I-I don't know what to say…" Buffy heard her twin speak.  
  
"Well, you're not laughing. So that's a good start. Buffy, I like you. A   
lot. And I know we're friends, and we've had experiences... We've fought   
some blood-sucking fiends, and that's all been a good time. But I want more.   
I wanna dance with you."  
  
"Xander, you're one of my best friends. You and Willow..."  
  
"Well, Willow's not looking to date you. Or if she is, she's playing it   
pretty close to the chest." Xander laughed nervously, and Buffy turned to   
her side and looked at him sadly.  
  
"I don't want to spoil the friendship that we have."  
  
"Well, I don't want to spoil it either. But that's not the point, is it?   
You either feel a thing or you don't."  
  
Buffy winced, because she knew what was going to come next, and it wasn't   
something particularly nice.  
  
"I don't. Xander, I'm, I'm sorry. I-I just don't think of you that way."  
  
The next few seconds unrolled as if in slow-motion. Buffy turned and watch   
Xander's face fall, and she knew his heart was breaking. She did not know at   
the time, but she had ripped out his heart and stomped on it.  
  
"Well, try. I'll wait." Buffy watched his weak attempt at a smile. She   
admired his courage, and she hated herself for what she did to him.  
  
"Xander..."  
  
"Nah. Forget it." Xander stood up. "I'm not him. I mean, I guess a guy's   
gotta be undead to make time with you."  
  
"That's really harsh."  
  
"Look, I'm sorry. I don't handle rejection well. Funny! Considering all the   
practice I've had, huh?"  
  
"Xander, I'm sorry, I don't know..."  
  
"Xander: You know what? Let's just not." Xander walked away from her   
quickly.  
  
Buffy got up and chased after him.  
  
"Xander! Wait up!" she cried, forgetting that he couldn't hear her or see   
her. She managed to catch up with him and walked beside him, looking at his   
face for any sign of his emotions.  
  
"That was really stupid," Buffy heard his voice boom from out of nowhere.   
She looked at him, but his lips weren't moving. She stood there confused for   
a moment, before making the assumption that she was hearing his thoughts.  
  
"Like she'd ever go out with a loser like me."  
  
Buffy looked sympathetically at Xander. "No, Xander, you're not…" She tried   
to reason with him, but she stopped in mid-sentence when she remembered that   
he probably couldn't hear her.  
  
"I'm nobody."  
  
Xander, she thought, I never knew I caused you so much pain.  
  
Before she could do anything else, the surroundings dissolved slowly and   
melted, before morphing into a totally different environment. Buffy found   
herself sitting on a chair in a familiar looking apartment. She heard some   
voices coming from another room and she walked towards them.  
  
"He'll kill her."  
  
Buffy peered into the room and saw Xander and Angel talking.  
  
"Haven't seen this before," she muttered.  
  
"Rumor has it. Only we're not gonna let it happen," said Xander.  
  
"Well, what do you propose we do about it?"  
  
"Look, I know you can find this Master guy. He's underground, right? Take me   
to him."  
  
"You're way outta your league, kid. The Master'll kill you before you can   
even breathe. If you're lucky," said Angel.  
  
"Oh, thanks a lot, honey," grumbled Buffy as she strolled leisurely into the   
room. She walked around Xander and Angel with her hands behind her back, as   
if she were examining them carefully. "You ass."  
  
"How can I say this clearly?"  
  
Xander held up a cross bravely, and Angel growls. Xander advanced toward   
him, and Angel stumbled backwards and fell on the couch. "I don't like you.   
At the end of the day, I pretty much think you're a vampire. But Buffy's got   
this big old yen for you. She thinks you're a real person. And right now I   
need you to prove her right."  
  
Buffy smiled to herself as she heard Xander's words. She didn't know how   
strongly he felt about her, and she regretted not noticing it sooner. She   
was so blinded by her love for Angel that she couldn't even think clearly.   
And now that she saw everything, she wondered why she was ever with the   
vampire in the first place.  
  
And in proper lighting, his hair looked really bad.  
  
"You're in love with her." Angel stated.  
  
Buffy whipped her head round quickly to look at Xander, waiting for his   
reply.  
  
"Aren't you?"  
  
Buffy smiled again at his indirect admittance of his feelings for her. She   
noticed that a few strands of hair were on his face, and she reached out and   
brushed them aside. She seemed surprised that she could feel them, and that   
she could actually move them. Xander shook his head at her touch, but he   
still did not seem to be able to see her.  
  
The walls of the apartment crumbled suddenly and the tremor pushed Buffy to   
the ground. When she got up, she noticed in frustration that the scene had   
changed to the Master's lair. She leaned against the wall and watched Xander   
and Angel stand over the unconscious body of her 'twin'.  
  
She shifted nervously as she remembered this scene all too clearly.  
  
"But if she drowned, uh, there's a shot! CPR!" Xander cried out, almost   
frantically.  
  
"You have to do it. I have no breath."  
  
Buffy didn't know why, but she felt the sudden urge to hit Angel. She   
wondered if he would be able to feel it like Xander felt her touch earlier   
on. She decided against it, and watched the scene unfold.  
  
Xander took of his jacket and laid it over her. He knelt down by her face   
and looked at her a moment. He slowly brought his mouth to hers and blew   
into her lungs. He let go and began pumping her chest. "C'mon. C'mon!"  
  
Buffy heard his thoughts again. "Please… please don't die on me… I love   
you."  
  
Buffy walked slowly towards him and stood beside him for a moment, watching   
his expression. She looked at Angel, who seemed emotionless as usual. She   
knelt down beside him and put her hand on his chest, as if it would be a   
consolation. He seemed indifferent to her touch and continued trying to   
revive the Buffy on the ground.  
  
He stopped pumping and looked sadly at the body on the ground, tears   
beginning to form in his eyes.  
  
"No!" His thoughts echoed throughout the cave.  
  
Buffy looked down at her twin on the ground, and watched her eyes open wide.   
She turned her head to the side coughed out water.  
  
"Buffy!" cried Xander.  
  
"Thank God she's alive," Buffy heard his thoughts again.  
  
He put his hand to her forehead and stroked it gently, and Buffy finally   
realized how much he loved her. 


	19. Nineteen

NINETEEN  
  
  
Buffy opened her eyes and stretched sleepily. Somewhere along the line, she   
must had fallen asleep, but as usual she had no recollection of such an   
event happening. She stood up and folded her arms, and felt uneasy. She   
realized the cause – she was in a hospital room. She shivered. She hated   
hospitals.  
  
She walked forward and spotted her doppelganger lying on the hospital bed,   
sleeping soundly.  
  
This must have been when I was sick with the flu, she thought. She looked   
around for Xander, but couldn't find him. She walked towards the door and   
opened it, entering the corridor. She glanced down the corridor and saw   
Xander… and Angelus.  
  
Well, they've been spending a *lot* of time together behind my back,   
thought Buffy. She walked up to them and eavesdropped.  
  
"Why don't you come back during the day?" Xander asked Angelus bravely, his   
voice wavering only slightly. "Oh, gee, no, I guess you can't."  
  
"If I decided to walk into Buffy's room, do you think for one microsecond   
that you could stop me?" Angelus threatened.  
  
Buffy raised an eyebrow at him, and stood between Angelus and Xander,   
switching her attention from one to another. As expected, neither paid any   
attention to her.  
  
"Maybe not. Maybe that security guard couldn't either. Or those cops… or the   
orderlies… I'm kinda curious to find out. You game?"  
  
Buffy looked at Xander and shook her head at his foolishness, but at the   
same time she inwardly respected how brave he was being … for her. Angelus   
could have killed him in a second and here he was, acting as if it were   
nothing.  
  
"God I hope he isn't game." Buffy heard Xander's thoughts clearly. She   
couldn't help but smile.  
  
"Buffy's White Knight."  
  
Buffy spun her head around quickly and stared at Angelus. She tilted her   
head slightly to look at him properly and then stepped away, walking around   
him. Now that she thought about it, Xander was exactly that – her white   
knight. She just never knew it until now. Figured it would take   
mind-traveling for her to get a clue.  
  
"You still love her," continued Angelus. He stepped forward and leaned in   
close towards Xander. "It must just eat you up that I got there first."  
  
Buffy glared at Angelus and then sighed. She turned back to Xander, and   
noticed his pain written in his eyes… to be reminded of Angel and her.  
"You're gonna die. And I'm gonna be there," challenged Xander bravely.   
Although Buffy knew that nothing was going to happen, she couldn't help but   
feel worried for Xander. One of these days his mouth was going to get him   
killed.  
  
Angelus shoved the flowers he was carrying to Xander's chest. "Tell her I   
stopped by." The vampire turned around and walked around. Xander stared   
after him for a while before sighing in relief.  
  
"That was close," he thought.  
  
"Yeah, it was," agreed Buffy, although he couldn't hear her.  
  
Xander put the flowers down and slumped back on his seat, leaning against   
the wall. Buffy knelt down beside the flowers and felt the petals.  
  
"I don't think I ever got these," she said quietly, "And I don't think you   
ever even told me about this."  
  
She got up and took a seat beside him. She said nothing for a while, and   
just watched him, wringing his hands and shifting uncomfortably. She put her   
hand on his shoulder comfortingly, and surprisingly he stopped moving, and   
leaned back comfortably.  
  
"Xander," sighed Buffy. "I didn't know you had so much in you. I'm sorry."  
  
Xander turned to his side as if he heard her. He just stared at her, or   
right through her. He stood up.  
  
"Check on Buffy," his mind told him, and Buffy watched him walk to the door   
of her room.  
  
He leaned against the door frame and stared at the small window into   
Buffy's room. He watched her sleeping form and smiled contentedly.  
  
"She looks so beautiful," he thought, "even when she's sleeping."  
  
Buffy got up and followed him. She stood beside him and listened to his   
thoughts.  
  
"I wish they'd let me stay with her," he thought. "Screw visiting hours."  
  
She smiled and touched his face lightly, wondering why she never saw the   
real him after all this while. He was one of her best friends, and here she   
was discovering so many new things about him. It hurt her that he had to   
keep so many secrets from her, and now she seriously wondered why he was   
wasting all his time on her.  
  
Xander walked back to his seat and lied back, trying to get some sleep. He   
leaned uncomfortably against the side of the chair, before switching to the   
other side without much success. Buffy walked up to him and sat down beside   
him. Buffy ran her fingers through his hair softly, and put her arms around   
him.  
  
It was hardly a surprise that Xander fell asleep almost instantly. 


	20. Twenty

TWENTY  
  
Buffy awoke and found herself somewhat disappointed that Xander was no   
longer in her arms. She opened one eye groggily and slowly adjusted to her   
surroundings. Her feeling of disappointment were replaced with one of   
comfort and satisfaction when she realized she was curled up in Xander's bed   
in his basement. She looked around for Xander and was pleased to see him   
pacing up and down in front of her, wearing a white T-shirt and his boxers.  
  
She called out to him, and when he didn't answer she gave a frustrated   
sigh. Still stuck in his memories. She wondered what this one would reveal   
to her.  
  
"Gotta get her something good," he thought over and over again, the   
sentences varying in structure, but the main point remaining the same.  
  
"Get who what?" Buffy asked no one in particular.  
  
"Gotta be great… Man, I'm stumped."  
  
"Is it something for me?" asked Buffy out loud, quite annoyed that she was   
not getting any answers from his mind. Something told her that it was, but   
she couldn't tell for sure.  
  
Xander glanced at his wrist and realized that he wasn't wearing a watch. He   
looked over at the radio clock on the table and ran his hands through his   
hair worriedly. "Don't have much time."  
  
"Don't have much time for what?" asked Buffy again. She wondered why she   
even bothered asking - but it was worth a shot.  
  
"Think. Think. THINK!" his mind nearly yelled out. "What does Buffy want…."  
  
Buffy looked at him eagerly. "So it is for me."  
  
Xander sat down on the bed beside her and buried his head in his hands.   
"Work, brain, work…"  
  
Must be one of my birthdays, she thought. Didn't know he took   
present-buying so seriously.  
  
Xander stared blankly at the wall for a while before jumping up suddenly.   
"I know!"  
  
"Know wh… never mind." Buffy decided not to waste her breath.  
  
"She's going to freak when she sees it!" Xander thought excitedly.  
  
I am? Buffy thought.  
  
Xander turned to go but suddenly dived towards the drawer near his bed. He   
pulled it open and plundered it, searching through its seemingly endless   
contents to find something. He finally pulled out a brown envelope and   
placed it on the bed. Buffy curiously leaned over and checked the envelope   
out. It was marked "Road Trip".  
  
Xander tore the envelope open in his anticipation and took out a wad of   
money that was inside. Buffy didn't get a chance to see how much was inside.  
  
"Oh, don't do that," she mumbled quietly as she slowly realized the   
implications of his actions.  
  
Xander dashed upstairs. Buffy looked after him and waited a while for him   
to come rushing down again.  
  
"Pants. Need pants," he muttered to himself before pulling on a faded pair   
of jeans. In a few seconds he darted upstairs again. Buffy sighed, and raced   
to catch up.  
  
* * *  
  
Buffy followed Xander as he walked down the sidewalk. Buffy looked at him   
curiously and wondered what present he was going to get her, and tried to   
remember all the things he ever gave her. She suddenly felt really horrible   
when she couldn't remember half of them.  
  
Xander slowed down as he reached a jewelry shop. He stopped to peer into   
the glass windows before marching into the shop. Buffy followed him quickly   
and wondered in frustration when the whole 'non-interference' thing would   
wear off.  
  
She watched him pick out a beautiful bracelet from the counter. She   
remembered it now. He gave it to her a few years ago for her birthday. She   
sat down on the nearby chair and felt incredibly guilty for not realizing   
the trouble he went through to get her that - and to think he used his road   
trip savings to pay for it.  
  
He had planned a second road trip that year, but for some strange reason   
cancelled it at the last minute. Buffy now realized why, and felt like the   
world's most horrible person.  
  
A young woman beside Xander commented on his choice. "That's a lovely   
bracelet you chose."  
  
Xander looked at her. "Thanks."  
  
The woman smiled at him. "For that special somebody?"  
  
Xander blushed slightly. "You can say that."  
  
Buffy raised her eyebrows.  
  
"Well, then, if her taste in jewelry is as good as her taste in men, she'd   
definitely love it."  
  
Slut, thought Buffy.  
  
Xander merely nodded and smiled at her, and turned back to the salesgirl   
who was gift-wrapping it. Buffy admired the fact that he didn't do a little   
counter-flirting. She was kind of pleased, too. And flattered.  
  
She wished she knew about all of this sooner.  
  
She also wished she had a little more brains and figured it out right from   
the start… that she was in love with Alexander Harris. 


	21. Twenty-One

TWENTY-ONE  
  
Before Buffy had anymore time to think or react, the scenery around her   
melted and dissolved as if they were water-colored paintings. Buffy stared   
blankly, already used to the idea of sudden changes in her surrounding. She   
closed her eyes and crossed her arms. When she reopened her eyes she found   
herself in Faith's motel room, leaning against the wall…  
  
"What's this now," she mumbled. She turned her head slightly and spotted   
Xander and Faith.  
  
"…dislocated my shoulder, though," said Faith as she removed her jacket and   
tossed it aside, carefully minding her arm. She looked back at Xander. "Hold   
me."  
  
Buffy looked back and forth between Xander and Faith. Faith took his right   
hand and put it on her left upper arm, before pulling her shoulder back and   
then pushing it forward. Her shoulder snapped back into place and she   
shrugged, giving a heavy sigh.  
  
"That's better," Faith sniffed. "She got me really wound up."  
  
She looked at Xander and ran her hands over his chest. She gave a deep   
breath. "A fight like that and... no kill... I'm about ready to pop." She   
smiled at him.  
  
"Really?" Xander answered nervously, looking down at her hands on his chest.   
"Pop?"  
  
Buffy's mind suddenly clicked and she realized what was going to happen   
next. Her heart sank, and she turned away and walked towards the door.  
  
"I don't need to see this," she thought out loud. She put her hand on the   
doorknob and tried to turn it. Even though she could feel the cold steel of   
the doorknob, she couldn't move it. She pressed her left palm on the door   
for leverage and twisted the knob again.  
  
"Oh, sure, now I can't move things," grumbled Buffy in annoyance. She kicked   
the door hard, but it didn't make a difference. She looked over her shoulder   
at Xander and Faith.  
  
She was just in time to see Faith pull Xander towards her, kissing him full   
on the lips. Buffy winced without knowing.  
  
"Just relax... And take your pants off."  
  
A nasty word ran through Buffy's mind.  
  
"Those two concepts are antithetical."  
  
Faith almost ripped his shirt and jacket off. She wrapped her arms around   
him and kissed him passionately. Xander responded equally. Faith turned him   
around and shoved him back onto the bed. She jumped on him and straddles   
him.  
  
Buffy turned away.  
"Don't worry. I'll steer you around the curves."  
  
Buffy walked over to the other end of the room, wrestling between sulking in   
a corner or taking part in a voyeuristic activity. A curious part of her   
wanted to have a little peek at what was going on… after all it wasn't every   
other day she was trapped in Xander's mind.  
  
Faith gave a loud moan, and Buffy wondered just *how* good he was in bed.   
After a long debate (and several more moans from both Faith and Xander)   
Buffy decided against peeping, and sat at the table with her back towards   
them, her hands over her ears.  
  
After all, if she wanted to find out, she could always do it the old fashion   
way.  
  
* * *  
  
Buffy followed Xander as he was shoved out of the motel room. The only thing   
he was wearing was his boxers and he held his clothes in his arms. Buffy   
turned back to look at Faith only to find the door slammed in her face.   
Buffy made a rude face and turned back to Xander.  
  
She looked at him up and down, secretly enjoying his lack of clothing, her   
eyes trailing from top to bottom. She realized that her mouth was hanging   
open and shut it. She followed Xander to his car, guiltily enjoying the view   
from behind.  
  
She was thankful that Xander's whole 'ordeal' with Faith was over… she   
didn't think she could stand being there, in the same room as them, for   
another minute. Even though she had her ears covered most of the time, Buffy   
could have sworn she heard Xander call her name in his thoughts. She   
shrugged it off as partly a delusion and wishful thinking.  
  
"She used me," Xander's thoughts echoed loudly. Buffy pursed her lips and   
stared after him, walking fast to catch up with his big strides. "And I   
thought…" He stopped and shook his head.  
  
"You thought what?" asked Buffy.  
  
Xander climbed into his car, and Buffy jumped in the passenger seat after   
him.  
  
"You thought what?" Buffy pressed again. "Don't leave your thoughts in mid   
sentence."  
  
Xander stared straight ahead, ignoring her. Buffy sighed and leaned back   
against the seat, wondering if she was ever going to accomplish what she set   
out to do. At the rate things were going, she was probably going to be in   
his mind for a while.  
  
She thought she heard the sound of the engine starting, but when she turned   
to look at Xander, she found he wasn't sitting next to her anymore.  
  
And she wasn't in his car.  
  
She looked around. She was in a long and dark passageway. A small light   
flickered overhead, and Buffy struggled to make out her surroundings in the   
faint lighting. She took a few cautious steps forward, running her fingers   
along the wall as a guide to where she was going. She cringed as she felt   
the cold, stony texture of the wall.  
  
As she walked down the passageway, the lighting seemed to improve. As she   
reached the end, she made out a door. A few steps closer revealed that it   
was a wooden door, with her name embedded in gold, stretched out across it.  
  
Buffy frowned in confusion as she stared at her name printed on the door,   
its golden letters almost screaming out at her. She ran her fingers along   
the letters, feeling them and wondering what they were doing there.  
  
"Well, if it's my door, I guess I'm supposed to go in," she said to herself.   
She took a step back as her words echoed continuously up and down the   
passageway, almost to a point that it was deafening. She reached out and   
turned the handle, pushing the door open.  
  
As she stumbled in, she was blinded by a bright shining light for a moment,   
and she covered her eyes defensively. When she opened them, she found   
herself in another corridor. She turned around and noticed that the door   
behind her had disappeared. She wrinkled her forehead, and peered gingerly   
ahead.  
  
Even though it was dark, she could see quite clearly. She walked down   
slowly, staring at her surroundings. Her name was sketched and carved deeply   
continuously along the walls, floor and ceiling of the corridor. She   
shivered at the weird scene and continued walking down.  
  
She nearly jumped as she spotted a figure moving to her right. She calmed   
down as she realized it was only her reflection, captured in a full length   
mirror hanging from the wall She stared at herself for a while, noticing   
that she was now dressed in a long, blood red dress. She touched her dress   
for a moment and then screamed as the mirror shattered without warning.  
  
She stumbled backwards into somebody.  
  
She turned around and gasped softly.  
  
It was Karakos. 


	22. Twenty-Two

TWENTY-TWO  
  
"Enjoying the Hall of Buffy?" Karakos enquired, taking a step towards her.  
  
"It's okay," said Buffy weakly.  
  
"Did you prefer your stroll down memory lane?" asked Karakos almost   
mockingly. "I thought it was kind of funny."  
  
"Depends on how you look at it," said Buffy softly.  
  
Karakos knelt down and touched the engravings on the floor, tracing each   
letter of her name with his fingernail, making a soft and uneasy scratching   
noise. "Look at this."  
  
Buffy found herself looking down, wondering why she wasn't slamming him   
against the wall.  
  
Karakos looked up at her and then back at the engravings. "They go really   
deep into the stone… did you know?"  
  
"I don't."  
  
"There are a lot of things you don't know," replied Karakos. "I hope you've   
realized that by now."  
  
"Yeah, thanks."  
  
Karakos turned back to the floor. "Etched so deep into the floor… each   
letter … each stroke… imagine the dedication, the diligence, the effort."  
  
Buffy didn't say anything.  
  
Karakos stood up and moved towards the wall, running his hands over the   
similar engravings. "Or could it be resentment and hatred? Can you tell the   
difference?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"Sometimes there's a very thin line between love and hate."  
  
"Are you going to start spouting clichéd lines now, because I plan on   
leaving," said Buffy.  
  
"You don't leave until I say so," said Karakos calmly, his head turned away   
from her. He walked down the corridor, his voice echoing and booming from   
every corner. "You have no idea how much you fill his mind. It stretches to   
a point where it's almost sickening."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"Come here," said Karakos, motioning towards her. Buffy found herself   
following him, despite her reluctance. He waited for her, and then pointed   
to a dark painting. "Look at this."  
  
The painting mounted on the wall disturbed Buffy. It was a familiar picture   
of her and Xander, one they had taken a few years back at a picnic. They had   
their arms wrapped around each other and were smiling… but something was   
different. There were jagged lines covering the picture, and dark red paint   
was splashed across the corners.  
  
"What do you think of this?" Karakos asked, folding his arms.  
  
"I… I'm not sure."  
  
"I don't know what he calls it," said Karakos slowly, "But I like to refer   
to it as 'Rhapsody in Rage'. How does that sound?"  
  
"Sounds deranged."  
  
"Well, you don't know what you do to him," said Karakos. "You have no idea   
how much fun I've had sifting through his rage. It was delicious."  
  
"Your taste certainly varies from mine."  
  
"You tear apart his mind and soul as if it were paper," said Karakos. "A   
girl after my own heart."  
  
"I'm not sure you have one."  
  
"Well, you shoved a stake through it the last time I remember," said   
Karakos. "But the damage you've done to me is minimal compared to this   
wreckage of a mind you've created."  
  
"I…" Buffy struggled for words, once again wondering why she was even   
engaging in a conversation with him. She shook her head and stared at him,   
slowly breaking out of the trance that kept her passive. "I don't care what   
you think."  
  
"Really."  
  
"In fact, I'd rather be pounding your head against the wall right now," she   
said. "Maybe it'll leave a cool impression of my name on your forehead."  
  
"Why don't you?" invited Karakos.  
  
"My pleasure."  
  
Buffy grabbed him by the collar and shoved him against the wall. Karakos   
hardly reacted, laughing maniacally. He stopped and glared at her, and Buffy   
felt her grip weakening. She breathed heavily and let him go, taking a step   
backwards, reeling from a sudden bout of vertigo.  
  
Karakos reached out and grabbed her arm, lifting her off the ground. "You   
can't possibly dream of beating me here… of all places."  
  
"Get out of his mind," Buffy struggled to say, even though the pain was   
searing through her arm. "Leave him alone."  
  
"I don't think so." Karakos threw her to the ground.  
  
Buffy gave a sharp cry of pain. She slowly got up but Karakos kicked her in   
the face and sent her tumbling back to the floor. His right arm grasped   
around her neck tightly and he flung her , sending her crashing into the   
wall.  
  
"There's only room for one of us here," said Karakos. "Sorry."  
  
Buffy rolled out of the way as he lashed out his foot again. She picked her   
self up and held her arm which still hurt. She realized that the best option   
would be to run away and live to fight another day. She limped away from   
him, as he walked after her calmly and confidently.  
  
"Where do you think you're going?" He called after her. "You don't think you   
can run from me, do you?"  
  
Buffy looked behind her hurriedly and ran down the corridor, Karakos   
following steadily behind her. She reached the end of the corridor, and it   
was a dead end. She ran her hands against the wall, clumsily looking for   
some sort of escape. Her fingers ran across a small button of some kind and   
she pushed it in desperate. She heard a soft click and the wall in front of   
her slid out of the way. Buffy stumbled forward, hearing the wall close   
behind her.  
  
She ran forward a few more steps, only to find that suddenly there was no   
floor beneath her, and she plummeted into the darkness. 


	23. Twenty-Three

TWENTY-THREE  
  
Buffy didn't know how long she was falling, but she did know when she hit   
the ground. It didn't hurt as much as she expected it to. She touched her   
arm lightly and noticed in surprise that the pain had subsided. She massaged   
her arm gently.  
  
She got up and dusted herself. Glancing downwards, it struck her that her   
apparel had changed once more, this time into a long-sleeved black shirt   
with matching black pants and shoes. She looked up, trying to see where she   
fell from. There was nothing above her but blue skies and fluffy clouds,   
which Buffy thought was kind of nice… in a Disney kind of way.  
  
The scene was a vast contrast from the previous one. It was a bright   
garden, the sunshine flooding the place which gave the place a warm and   
homely feeling. Buffy wrapped her arms around herself and walked around. She   
felt so comfortable here… so safe. There was a pathway winding down the   
garden, beautiful trees growing beside it, their heavy foliage giving shade   
from the heat of the sun, without making it dark or gloomy.  
  
Buffy stepped unto the gravel pathway, her shoes scratching against the   
stone. She heard birds chirping but she couldn't see any. A butterfly   
fluttered at her face for a few seconds before flying off to settle on a   
rose.  
  
Buffy followed the pathway, enjoying the scenery. She had almost forgotten   
about her previous encounter with Karakos, and all feelings of danger, worry   
and anxiety slowly faded from her with each step she took.  
  
The pathway ended at a fountain. She took a close look it, admiring the   
artwork. It was made out of marble, and it had a sculpture of a woman in the   
center. Buffy thought she looked familiar, but she couldn't figure out who   
she was. The sound of the water spurting from the fountain seemed somewhat   
in place with the atmosphere, a sort of quiet, unchallenged serenity.  
  
Buffy sat on the ledge of the fountain and dipped her hand into the water.   
Its coolness pleased her. She spent several minutes swishing her hand back   
and forth in the water mindlessly. It was the best feeling she had felt in   
years.  
  
"Careful," said a voice from behind her, "You'll get your sleeves wet."  
  
Buffy turned around. It was Xander. He looked so different that she almost   
didn't recognize him. Her face lit up when she finally did. She jumped up   
and ran towards him, hugging him tightly. "Xander."  
  
"Buffy."  
  
She pulled herself from him and looked over him thoroughly. He was dressed   
from head to toe in white. He had on a loose white shirt and a nice pair of   
white slacks. The sunlight bounced off the silver buckle on his belt. There   
was something else that was different about him, but Buffy couldn't tell. He   
looked more… mature. The first word Buffy thought of was 'attractive', but   
she wasn't about to say that out loud.  
"I've been looking for you," said Buffy.  
  
"Did you look hard?"  
  
"I guess so," she answered. She motioned to the scenery. "It's nice here."  
  
"I try my best."  
  
It was then that Buffy realized that she was totally out of place in the   
garden. She was the only one clad entirely in black, contrasting greatly   
with her surroundings. Buffy wondered if her apparel had anything had a   
deeper meaning to it, but she tried not to think about it. She rolled up her   
sleeves and sat back at the fountain.  
  
Xander took a seat next to her. "You look nice."  
  
"Thanks," Buffy smiled and tucked her hair behind her ear. She looked down   
at her clothes. "You didn't have anything to do with this, did you?"  
  
"I'm not sure," said Xander. "I used to be. But now I'm … I don't know."  
  
Buffy placed her hand on his arm. "We… we have… you have to …" She couldn't   
find the words to fit her request , but he seemed to understand her.  
  
"I can't."  
  
"Don't say that."  
  
They were interrupted by a tremor, and Buffy nearly fell into the fountain.   
It was then she noticed that there was a high wall at the far end, circling   
around and enclosing the garden. As the earth shook and moved, she noticed   
the wall inching towards them slowly. It stopped after a while, and   
everything went still.  
  
"What was that?" she asked.  
  
"It's him," said Xander, splashing the water in the fountain unconsciously.   
"Everyday he gets closer."  
  
"Karakos?"  
  
Xander nodded. "The wall keeps him out. But everyday he gets closer."  
  
"Then stop him."  
  
"I can't," he said. "Pretty soon he'll be here. And then he'll be   
everywhere."  
  
"You have to stop him," Buffy repeated. "You can't stay here forever."  
  
"I won't. He'll come. And he'll claim us."  
  
"Not if I have anything to do with it," said Buffy, standing up. "I won't…   
I can't stand here and watch this. If you want to give up, fine. But I   
won't." She turned to go.  
  
"Don't go." Xander called out softly to her.  
  
Buffy turned around and looked at him. For a moment she wanted to tell him   
how she felt, after her experiences - after the thoughts, the memories…  
  
"It's been lonely," said Xander, almost in a whisper. "Since he came."  
  
"Xander," Buffy walked up to him. "You have to get him out. Please."  
  
"Why do you care so much?" said Xander, suddenly on the offensive. He   
looked away from her to the sculpture in the middle of the fountain.  
  
"Okay," said Buffy. "I admit it. I've been a pretty crappy friend for, oh   
say, all my life. Scratch that, I'm a crappy person. I'm selfish, I'm   
inconsiderate, I'm snobby, I'm spoilt, stuck up and sometimes I can be a   
real bitch."  
  
Buffy caught Xander giving a small smile, but he reverted to his serious   
face when he noticed that she was looking at him. Buffy put her hand on his   
shoulder. "But I think … I think… let's say I've seen some things that have   
really opened my eyes. And I'm ready to say that I… care about you. A lot.   
And I'm not about to see you lose your mind just after I've had my life   
changing realization."  
  
Xander looked at her. "That's not enough."  
  
"I know," said Buffy, "But I'll work on it… and …"  
  
"I meant that he'll still beat you," said Xander. "How you feel now, or how   
you've felt - it doesn't matter. He'll beat you. He's already beaten me."  
  
"No."  
  
"He's won," said Xander. He pointed to his surroundings. "This is all I   
have left. And soon he'll have that too."  
  
"We can…"  
  
"We can't do anything," said Xander. "Stop fooling yourself. Your positive   
attitude isn't going to beat him."  
  
"You're right," said Buffy. "Not when you're such a downer. It's your mind,   
Xander. Take it back."  
  
"You don't think I've tried?" Xander's voice rose slowly. "Do you think I   
enjoy this? Do you think all I do is sit around waiting for you to come to   
the rescue?"  
  
"No, I… didn't mean it that way."  
  
Xander looked down and then looked back at her. "No… it's okay. I…   
shouldn't have yelled at you. I'm sorry."  
  
"You just can't stay mad at me, can you?" said Buffy with a smile.  
  
"Not for long," admitted Xander. "Not here anyways."  
  
Another tremor shook the garden and Buffy tumbled to the ground. The wall   
closed in on them, and Buffy got up. "I have to stop him."  
  
"I told you - you can't."  
  
"I have to." Buffy turned around. She spotted a grilled metal gate at the   
far end of the garden and headed towards it. She tugged at it but it was   
locked. However, after the third try the gate slowly opened on its own.   
Buffy had more complex things on her mind than to wonder about the gate. She   
took a deep breath and took a step forward.  
  
Xander got up and called after her desperately. "Buffy! BUFFY!"  
  
But he was already too late.  
  
- - - - 


	24. Twenty-Four

TWENTY-FOUR  
  
  
It didn't seem like any place at all.  
  
There was nothing but space stretching for an eternity. Buffy tapped the   
floor with her feet , just to make sure there was a floor. She felt like she   
was floating hopelessly, even though she was quite certain she was on solid   
ground.  
  
Typically, the gate behind her had disappeared.  
  
Buffy looked ahead, and saw nothing. There was some mist hovering around   
her, but she felt quite sure that there wasn't going to be anything behind   
it.  
  
"You came back," sounded a voice.  
  
Buffy looked around for Karakos, but she couldn't see him. "Glad you   
noticed."  
  
"I was tempted not to."  
  
"Why don't you come out where I can see you?" said Buffy tiredly.  
  
"Where's the fun in that?"  
  
"You know," started Buffy, "They say hiding is for cowards."  
  
"They say a lot of things," said Karakos. "And usually I don't care."  
  
"I want you out," said Buffy.  
  
"Or what?"  
  
"I'm not going to ask you again."  
  
"If memory serves me right," said Karakos, "You've already asked me a lot   
of times. And each time the answer has been the same. Do you want to guess   
what it's going to be this time?"  
  
"Why are you doing this?"  
  
"It's fun," said Karakos. "And since you have so kindly disposed of my   
earthly body, I have no choice but to have my little romp in your friend's   
mind. Not that I'm not enjoying it, of course."  
  
"Visible or not, I'm so going to kick your butt now."  
  
"I'd like to see you try."  
  
Buffy wandered around cautiously, looking out for any sign of danger. "You   
know, this is getting pretty tiring."  
  
"I agree."  
  
"So quit it with the games and face me."  
  
"You don't quite get it, do you?"  
  
"BUFFY!" Buffy turned around as she heard Xander calling her.  
  
"Xander?" she asked.  
  
The mists parted and Xander ran towards her.  
  
"You have to get out of here," he told her.  
  
"No…" said Buffy stubbornly. "He's here. I can beat him."  
  
"You can't," Xander insisted. "Please…"  
  
"He's right, you know," came Karakos' voice from behind Buffy. "You can't."  
  
Xander's eyes widened as he watched Karakos' figure materialize from the   
mist behind an unsuspecting Buffy. Buffy, looking at Xander, turned around,   
coming face to face with Karakos. She froze for a moment as she stared into   
his glowing red eyes.  
  
The next few seconds seemed to unfold in slow-motion.  
  
Karakos whipped out a long blade from his side, and thrust it forward,   
impaling Buffy. Buffy gave a short gasp, her eyes widening in fear and pain.   
The vampire pulled out his blade and took a step back. Buffy put her hand to   
her wound, but there was little she could do. Xander screamed, as Buffy   
slowly crashed to the ground.  
  
*  
*  
* 


	25. Twenty-Five

PART TWENTY-FIVE  
  
"She's been gone for some time now," said Willow, watching the unconscious   
figure of Buffy propped against the wall. "You think she'll be all right?"  
  
"Don't worry," answered Marcus, who was sitting on the edge of the bed.   
"She'll be fine."  
  
"She's moving!" came a sudden exclamation from Giles, pointing excitedly at   
Buffy.  
  
Buffy's eyelids fluttered for a moment before opening suddenly. She awoke   
with a gasp and sat up hurriedly, breathing heavily and rapidly. She looked   
around in confusion and touched her stomach where the wound would have been.   
There was none.  
  
"Willow? Giles?" she asked weakly as she scanned the room. "Am I…?"  
  
"You're back!" Willow rushed to her side with a barrage of questions. "Are   
you all right? Did you get Xander back? Why isn't he waking up too?"  
  
"I'm fine," Buffy answered. "Just a little dizzy. And I'm seeing some   
spots."  
  
"Perhaps you should lie down," said Giles as he helped Willow pick her up   
and walk her to the bed. They laid her on the bed, despite much protest   
from Buffy who was still persistent that she was in good health. She finally   
gave in and leaned her head back gently on the soft pillow, closing her eyes   
slowly. However, in a few seconds, they shot open again and she sat up.  
  
"No!" She almost screamed. "Xander… He … Karakos…"  
  
Willow and Giles looked on in concern.  
  
Buffy looked around the room and spotted Marcus. "Marcus… you have to send   
me back!"  
  
"Buffy, you need your rest," said Giles.  
  
"I don't care!" Buffy went on. She climbed out of the bed and tried to walk   
to Marcus, but stumbled to the floor. She picked herself up quickly.   
"Karakos is going to kill him! Please! You have to send me back! We can't   
leave him in there!"  
  
Willow didn't say anything but a look of grave worry was etched on her   
face. She looked at Buffy and then at Marcus and Giles.  
  
"Buffy," said Marcus slowly, "You are weak. Sending you back into Xander's   
mind would put tremendous strain on you both physically and mentally, and in   
your current condition, even if you do survive the transition, Karakos would   
slaughter you in an instant."  
  
"I don't care! Xander… Karakos will kill him!"  
"Tell us what happened."  
  
Buffy ran her fingers through her hair uneasily. "I… I found Xander… and   
then I went after Karakos. There was … I couldn't see him, and he… killed   
me."  
  
"Killed you?" echoed Willow softly.  
  
"I… I remember feeling a horrible rush of pain… and then darkness. And …   
I'm here." Buffy buried her head in her hands. "How did that happen?"  
  
Marcus pondered the question. "Hmm. It seems that Karakos has managed to   
expel you from Xander's mind. By killing you there, he banished you from   
that reality."  
  
"How come I didn't just die?" Buffy asked. "Why send me back here?"  
  
"He couldn't, even if wanted to," answered Marcus. "To kill you here, he   
needs to be manifested in this reality… and the only way he can do that is   
to gain utter control of Xander. But he was a complete entity in Xander's   
mind, and hence his ability to slay you there. So when he killed you, you   
reverted back to your original reality, meaning here."  
  
Buffy nodded slowly. "Can you send me back again?" she asked again.  
  
"No," said Marcus. "I told you before. Even if you survive the…"  
  
"I heard you the first time," snapped Buffy. She looked around helplessly.   
"Xander's there, and he's all alone! With Karakos! What are we supposed to   
do, just sit here and wait for Karakos to take control? And then what? Do we   
kill Xander as well?"  
  
Buffy was on the verge of tears. The rest of the group kept silent. Buffy   
looked from one person to another and stormed out of the room. Willow   
started to go off after her, but Giles held her back.  
  
"Maybe she needs to be alone right now," said Giles softly.  
  
* * *  
  
Spike spun around in annoyance as he heard the door slam behind him. "Do   
you people bloody mind? *Some* people are watching…"  
  
Buffy walked past him quickly and headed for the front door.  
  
"Hey Goldilocks! Where are you going?"  
  
Buffy turned to look at him, unaware that a tear was rolling down her   
cheek. "I don't have time for you , Spike."  
  
"Why? Late for your Blondie's Anonymous Meeting?"  
  
"Shut up," shot Buffy as she turned back to the door.  
  
Spike looked at her, rather disappointed that she didn't have a good   
comeback. "Ooh, hey, you're back from… that place. How did that turn out for   
you?"  
  
"Why do you care?" asked Buffy rudely.  
  
"Oh, bloody fine," said Spike. "Ask a simple question and you bloody wanks   
don't even have the bloody decency to answer it politely."  
Buffy kept quiet for a while. She looked down.  
  
Spike watched her before venturing another question. "Is Xander all right?"   
He caught himself and quickly added: "Because I hope not."  
  
"I don't know," said Buffy, putting her right hand over her mouth and nose   
in an attempt to stifle a cry that she knew was going to come any time soon.  
  
"Oh, what, you're going to bloody cry now?"  
  
"I have to go," said Buffy, her voice muffled. She put her hand on the   
doorknob.  
  
"And where are you going to go?"  
  
"I don't know," said Buffy weakly. "Anywhere… I can't just sit here and do   
nothing while Xander's there… I… maybe Giles has some books or something   
that can tell me… I don't know. I don't know."  
  
"Oh, stop being so whiny. You and I both know that no matter what you   
bloody do or what bloody boring books you read it's not going to change   
anything. It's all up to him now. " said Spike. He looked at Buffy. "And the   
bloody wank's a fighter."  
  
Buffy looked at Spike and allowed herself to smile a little. She walked up   
to him. "You really like him, don't you?"  
  
"Not at all," said Spike almost immediately. He looked at Buffy and paused.   
"Maybe. But if you breathe a word of this to anybody else I'll rip out your   
throat for sure."  
  
"You're just a teddy bear with fangs," said Buffy, sniffling a little.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, bloody shut up already," said Spike. "Now do you want to watch   
the bloody tele or not?"  
  
Buffy said nothing but sat down on the couch beside Spike. 


	26. Twenty-Six

PART TWENTY-SIX  
  
"Buffy!" screamed Xander helplessly. He sifted through the mist hurriedly   
at the spot where he saw Buffy fall. He fell on his knees and searched   
furtively for her. "Buffy!"  
  
"She's not here," said Karakos, standing behind him.  
  
"No," said Xander, "I … she's here somewhere. I … I … I have to find her."  
  
"She's not here," repeated Karakos.  
  
"I don't believe you," replied Xander stubbornly. He got up and searched   
the area around him, a worried look on his face. "She's here… I… she needs   
my help… she's wounded…"  
  
"She's dead."  
  
"She's NOT!" Xander almost screamed. He shook his head, tears welling in   
his eyes.  
  
"I killed her."  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
"The way my blade sliced through her body - it was beautiful," said   
Karakos, licking his lips. "I almost enjoyed that. No … I enjoyed it   
*thoroughly*."  
  
Xander sunk to his knees in desperation. "I don't believe you."  
  
"But she's dead."  
  
"No." Xander's voice grew weaker.  
  
"Yes." Karakos took a step closer. "She's dead."  
  
There was a long, numb pause.  
  
"Dead?" echoed Xander weakly.  
  
Karakos nodded. "Your precious slayer is gone now. There's no one left to   
save you."  
  
Xander said nothing and just looked down in hopelessness. "No one."  
  
Karakos put his hand on Xander's shoulder, and he felt a sudden chill.   
"Come with me, I'll take you back to your garden."  
  
"I don't want to go back there."  
  
"It's the only place you have left, boy," said Karakos. "Come with me."  
  
Xander looked up at Karakos weakly. "You'll lock me in there."  
  
"That's the easy way," said Karakos. "And if you don't like it, believe me   
you won't enjoy the hard way."  
  
"I'm not going."  
  
"I don't want to hurt you," Karakos gave a wicked smile. "But maybe I do."  
  
"And maybe you won't have to."  
  
Xander stood up suddenly and whipped out a shining silver dagger. He lunged   
forward and shoved it through Karakos' chest. The vampire recoiled and   
stumbled backwards, shocked at the sudden attack. His hands gripped around   
the handle of the dagger and his maddening eyes widened as he struggled to   
pull it out. He coughed and chocked, and gave a piercing scream before   
shattering into dust.  
  
The dagger clattered as it hit the floor.  
  
"Jerk," said Xander, as he wiped his hands on his pants.  
  
* * *  
  
"Xander?!" exclaimed Willow excitedly. "He's waking up!"  
  
Giles scrambled towards her as she pointed eagerly at Xander's slowly   
awakening form. Willow ran and flung the door open, calling out to Buffy.  
  
Buffy got up almost immediately and ran into the room. Spike waited for   
what seemed to be a suitable interval of "not-caring" before he sauntered   
after her.  
  
Xander opened his eyes groggily and ran his fingers through his hair in a   
daze. "Whoa. That was weird."  
  
"Xander!" Willow announced happily. She ran to hug him, but Buffy held her   
back.  
  
"We don't know if it's really Xander," she said, even though in her heart   
she was hoping against hope that it really was him. "It could be Karakos."  
  
"Well… Do you know who I am?" ventured Willow to Xander.  
  
"Willow, we're checking for possession, not amnesia," said Buffy. Willow   
gave an 'oh' and took a step back.  
  
"Guys, come on, it's me!" said Xander, as he stood up slowly.  
  
"Step back," warned Giles. "You can't be too careful."  
  
"Oh, that's just a mean thing to say," said Xander. "Look… do you want me   
to prove it? Fine. Ask me something only I would know."  
  
"If Karakos has already gained control of Xander's mind, he would have   
ready access to all of Xander's thoughts and memories," stated Marcus   
suddenly. "He could easily answer any question you pose to him."  
  
"That's just dandy then," said Willow, rather disappointed.  
  
"You're all not very bright, are you?" Spike said after a long silence. "If   
it really was Karakos he would have slaughtered all of you while you were   
busy yammering about whether or not he was Xander. From my view point, he   
had more than ten bloody opportunities to butcher you people and he hasn't   
even done a thing."  
  
"He does have a point," said Willow.  
  
"Unless," said Giles, "That is what he wants us to think, to take us when   
we are…"  
  
"Oh shut up, Giles," said Buffy as she ran to Xander. She flung herself   
around his shoulders. She looked into his eyes for a long while.  
  
"It's really you, isn't it?" she whispered into his ear.  
  
"I would hope so," he replied.  
  
The rest of them stood back and waited for Xander to laugh evilly and rip   
Buffy's head off. He did neither, so Giles and Willow ran towards Buffy and   
Xander and hugged the both of them tightly, all of them talking at the same   
time.  
  
Spike watched them in disgust and turned to go.  
  
"Do you want to join them?" asked Marcus, staring blankly ahead.  
  
"Pfft," went Spike. He looked at Marcus and then at the happy reunion, and   
walked out of the door. 


	27. Twenty-Seven

TWENTY-SEVEN  
  
"So, is he really gone?" asked Willow after she had nearly hugged Xander to   
death.  
  
"I hope so," said Xander. "Jammed a knife right up his chest."  
  
"Good!" said Willow. "That'll show him to possess people."  
  
"Err, guys," said Xander, "It's not that I'm not pleased to be back here   
with you, but I would … really like to talk to Buffy alone for a moment."  
  
"Oh, sure," said Willow. "We'll go play with Spike." She pushed Giles out   
of the door and then helped Marcus find his way out. She looked at Buffy and   
Xander before closing the door behind her.  
  
"Hey," said Xander after a long, awkward silence. "Heard you were wandering   
in my mind."  
  
"Oh, yeah, that," she answered. "Marcus sent me."  
  
"So you were really there," said Xander, "And I wasn't imagining things.   
When Karakos … when he… you know… what happened?"  
  
"I sort of got kicked back here," said Buffy. "And then I went and watched   
Happy Days reruns with Spike."  
  
"That's nice to know," said Xander. "I was kind of worried."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah," said Xander sheepishly, looking down. "I was really afraid that you   
were… you know."  
  
"That's sweet," said Buffy. "I mean, not the me dying bit, but… about you   
being worried."  
  
"Well… you know me."  
  
"Yeah, I do," said Buffy. "I mean, at least, more than before."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"That whole mind travelling thing, it was like an eye-opener of sorts,"   
said Buffy. "I got to see parts of you I never saw before."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"Oh, you know. All your memories, thoughts…" Buffy decided to leave out   
'fantasies'. "Somehow all mysteriously Buffy-related. For my viewing   
pleasure, I guess."  
  
"You saw… everything?" asked Xander softly.  
  
"Everything." Buffy decided that a little exaggeration wasn't going to harm   
anybody.  
  
"Okay…" Xander gulped nervously and then fidgeted, before speaking quickly,   
stammering between words. "I… I just want to let you know … that I only did   
that the one time with you on my mind… I swear… it was just that it was   
after that whole 'sexy dance' thing you did with me and I .. I … was very   
lonely that night and …"  
  
"Xander, I have no idea what you're talking about."  
  
"Oh." Xander flushed. "Good."  
  
"I'm also kind of hoping that I never will," continued Buffy. "But what I   
do know is that you're the world's biggest sweetheart, and you never even   
mentioned a word about it to anybody."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"I saw you… and Angel. At the hospital… when I was sick. I also saw you   
both in his apartment the night I died. I saw what you did," said Buffy.   
"Thank you."  
  
"Anybody could have done that for you."  
  
"But nobody did. Except you."  
  
Xander's cheeks turned to a soft red as he turned away from her. He said   
nothing.  
  
"You know, he was right," said Buffy.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Angel," she told him. "You are my White Knight. I've been so blind I   
couldn't see it… until now. Looking back, I don't really think I deserve all   
you've done for me."  
  
"Don't say that," said Xander, walking closer to her. "If you didn't save   
my butt like a thousand times over, I probably wouldn't have been alive to   
do all those things anyway."  
  
Buffy inched her way closer to him, speaking in a tone he thought was   
somewhat familiar. "Did I ever thank you for saving my life?"  
  
"No…" squeaked Xander.  
  
"Can I?"  
  
"Yea….mmmh.." Xander was interrupted by Buffy's lips pressing against him.   
She wrapped her arms around her neck and kissed him over and over again. It   
took Xander a few seconds to recover from the initial shock, but when he   
did, it returned the gesture with equal passion. He ran his fingers through   
her hair and slowly brought his hands down to the small of her back.  
  
After a while they pulled apart, and Buffy gazed lovingly into his eyes.   
"Xander?"  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"Can I ask you something?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Were you really thinking of me when you had sex with Faith?" 


	28. Twenty-Eight (Epilogue)

TWENTY-EIGHT (EPILOGUE)  
  
"I think that's the last box," said Buffy, as she watched Xander struggle   
to haul it into the room. "Are you sure you don't want me to help you with   
that?"  
  
"No, no … I'm sure," said Xander, panting as he chucked the box to the   
floor. "You're absolutely positive that's the last one, right?"  
  
"Quite sure."  
  
"Good, because I felt like I just moved the whole of North America into my   
house," said Xander. "Ooh, plus Canada."  
  
"You love me, right?"  
  
"Uh-huh."  
  
"And you want me to be happy, right?"  
  
"Uh-huh."  
  
"Well, I can't be happy without all of my stuff," said Buffy. She stepped   
forward and gazed around the bedroom, which was cluttered with brown   
cardboard boxes with words like 'Make-Up' , 'Personal' and 'Misc.' written   
in thick black ink on them. "This is great."  
  
"So I finally have my very own live-in girlfriend, eh?" said Xander. "I   
thought it would classier than this."  
  
"It will be, once you help me unpack," said Buffy with a smile. She hugged   
him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Xander smiled at her and then went to   
sit on the bed.  
  
"You know, I hear that it's tradition to officiate the moving-in with the   
testing of the bed," Xander said, bouncing up and down on the bed lightly,   
his eyebrows arched suggestively.  
  
Buffy giggled and walked up to him slowly, sitting beside him. She wrapped   
her arms around him and kissed him on the lips. Xander reciprocated, and   
they kissed passionately for several minutes before Buffy ran her fingers   
down to his chest and began unbuttoning his shirt. She pushed him back unto   
the bed and climbed on top of him, kissing him non stop. Xander stroked her   
hair and traced the arch of her back with his fingers, before suddenly   
rolling her over on her back. He pushed the hair away from her face and   
kissed her, their lips locked together tight.  
  
"Oooh, mirrored ceiling," said Buffy suddenly, interrupting Xander.   
"Naughty boy."  
  
Xander looked up as she spoke. "Yeah, got that installed the very day you   
told me you would move in with me."  
  
"Fulfilling your long-time fantasy, there, Agent Harris?"  
  
"Eh?"  
  
"I was there, remember?" said Buffy. "With the disco globe and everything."  
  
"I was sixteen," explained Xander. "Very childish and immature back then."  
  
"Don't see much of a difference, now, sweetie."  
  
"Ow," said Xander. "Not a very nice girlfriend, I see."  
  
"Sorry," said Buffy with a mischievous smile. "I'll make it up to you."  
  
She pulled him back on top of her and began sucking on his neck gently.   
Xander took short, deep breaths as he closed his eyes, thoroughly enjoying   
what Buffy was doing to him. As her hands slowly snaked down to his pants   
buckle, the bedroom door swung open and the two lovebirds sat up suddenly in   
alarm.  
  
"Have you seen the bloody TV Guide?" came a familiar British-accented   
voice.  
  
"No," said Xander in irritation, "And would you please knock before you…"  
  
"Yeah, blah blah blah, who cares," said Spike, not even bothering to look   
at them as he pushed around Buffy's boxes looking for what he wanted. "This   
place is a freaking pig's sty."  
  
"Careful with that!" said Buffy as Spike pushed aside a box marked   
'Make-Up'.  
  
Spike kicked it purposely and then tossed Buffy a rude look. He examined   
the two of them on the bed. "Oooh… somebody's been naughty. Can I watch?"  
  
"No!" they both answered in unison.  
  
"Come on, come on," said Spike as he walked over to them and sat on the   
edge of the bed. "This is much better than the lousy tele. I can't even find   
the guide anyways."  
  
"Go away, Spike," said Xander. "And get off my bed."  
  
"For Christ's sake, I'm not asking for a bloody threesome," said Spike.   
"You won't even know I'm here."  
  
"You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?" asked Buffy.  
  
"Maybe," said Spike, "Or maybe *somebody* didn't pay for this month's porno   
channel subscription and I'm very, very lonely."  
  
"I don't… subscribe to that…" whispered Xander meekly to Buffy. "He must   
have been mistaken."  
  
"Okay," said Buffy, not really buying it. "Spike, get out."  
  
"Oooh, first day living here and suddenly somebody's all bossy," mocked   
Spike. "You're like a very, very, cheap rip-off version of a stepmother.   
Only fatter. And with bad make-up."  
  
"Counting to three…"  
  
"Fine, fine, fine," said Spike, getting up. "You'll never replace my real   
mother! Bitch!" He stormed off and slammed the door.  
  
"This is going to happen every day , isn't it," groaned Buffy.  
  
"Yeah," said Xander.  
  
"I can't believe you asked him to move in before me," said Buffy. "I'm sort   
of insulted."  
  
"He doesn't like to think of it as moving-in," explained Xander. "It's just   
that with all his waiting-for-the-moment-to-kill-me-while-I-sleep , I   
figured he could use a place to rest in between murderous thoughts, and his   
crypt's pretty far away."  
  
"That's sweet of you, you know," said Buffy. "Even though he *is* a crazy   
undead killer."  
  
"He's not so bad once you get to know him."  
  
"I can imagine," said Buffy not so enthusiastically. "Now, as much fun as   
talking about Spike is, I really want to get back to business…"  
  
"Aye, aye, Captain!" said Xander gleefully. "Where were we?"  
  
"I think somewhere along… here," said Buffy as she pulled him towards her   
and gave him another long, fiery kiss. They wrapped their arms around each   
other and fell unto the bed. 


End file.
